Giant Warplanes Guard

Pacific Sealanes Famous Australian Pilots in "Ferry Service"

rE Brisbane “Courier-Mail”, of July 5, says that there is a remarkable story of how great Australian war planes have been ferried across the Paci fic in the bald announcement of the Australian Minister for the Air;— “Long-range Catalina (PBY flying boats) are being used by the RAAF Coastal Command for seawards reconnaissance.”

There are six outstanding Australian airmen engaged in bringing these giant flying-boats across the Pacific from America to Australia, namely: Captains L. J. Brain, P. G. Taylor, G. U. Allan, H. B. Hussey, Orme Denny and W.

Crowther.

A number of those names are well known to North Queensland, Papuan and New Guinea residents who have made use of the flying services in recent years; and none is better known than that of Orme Denny—the diminutive but bold and daring pilot who, during several years in the service of Guinea Airways Ltd. in New Guinea, made pioneer avia tion history in that territory.

Not much has been published about the operations of these giant flying-boats oyer South Pacific waters; but it is sig nificant that, for six months, no activi ties by raiders have been reported from the South Pacific.

It may be remembered that the “PIM”, reporting in January last the ghastly clean-up of British shipping just made by the raiders in South Pacific waters, commented;— “But the lesson has been learned. A new system of naval protection for our ships, and a much closer guard over shipping information, is coming rapidly into operation. The raiders will not have such pleasant cruising, in future.”

We knew, even then, that great new Australian bombers were beginning to patrol the ocean, but nothing could be said about them. Since then, however, little by little, the interesting informa tion referred to above, has been pub lished.