New Caledonia—Aerial Crossroads Of
pp. 54-55 · Read in the full issue
The Pacific
Article reprinted from “White’s Aviation ”
NEW Caledonia, less than an easy 1,000mile breakfast-to-lunch flight from Auckland, occupies a most impor tant strategic, aeronautical position in the Pacific. Its Government is spending millions of francs on airport development —a barometer of its expectations.
Whether Air France will make it a link in their future expansion has not been disclosed, but the French have big in terests in the Pacific, and New Cale
donia, Tahiti and the New Hebrides are more than likely to be provided with French or other air connections.
France developed one of the world’s most luxurious flying-boats, tne “Late coere,” for long-distance flying, and Air France is taking delivery of American types, including Constellations.
New Zealanders first realised the proxi mity of lands peopled by Frenchmen when Pan-American World Airways
called at New Caledonia on the last leg of their regular pre-war San Francisco- Auckland service. Later an RNZAF Hud son squadron was stationed at Plaines des Gaiacs, an aerodrome about 170 miles up the west coast from Noumea. Men and machines of the Australian Roads Board, the Hawaiian Construction Com pany, a US civilian concern under US Army engineers, and over 300 Javanese coolies under French overseers, built PDG in early 1942.
NZ aircraft flew from PDG and contri buted a lot to the success of the Coral Sea battle.
Two other important aerodromes on New Caledonia were Magenta and Ton touta. The former, a mile or so from Noumea itself, was built on Noumea’s old racecourse, hurriedly, at the end of ’42 by US Seabees and Marines. The take off over the sea was tricky at first, but to-day Magenta is greatly improved, and it is planned to spend 10,000,000 francs on further development.
Tontouta, however, is almost deserted.
In 1942-43 it was extremely busy—a huge transit aerodrome with NZ Army and Air Force personnel passing through in large numbers, to and from the Solomons.
Some 54 kilometres from Noumea, Ton touta is apparently not favoured as a suitable airport for New Caledonia.
According to latest information, the little-known Oua-Tom (pronounced Wa tom) airfield, between Tontouta and
Noumea
Photo by White’s Aviation, Ltd.
PDG, is to be developed to serve even the biggest airliners.
Noumea Harbour itself is an ideal fly ing-boat base. The installation is on an island. He Nou. a few minutes from Noumea proper. In the war years, the roar of Coronados, Mariners and Cata linas, arriving and departing, was almost continuous. Thousands of passengers and tons of freight and mail were trans ported, for He Nou was a crossroads with routes radiating to NZ, Australia, the Solomons and the US.
An RNZAF station is established there —a stopover for Catalinas to refuel or moor for a night, but even this trans port has almost ceased.
Recent special Sydney-Suva flights by Qantas included calls at Noumea, and it is certain that New Caledonia is in a strong position to offer facilities to any international Pacific airline. NZ, Aus tralian. British, US, Canadian and Dutch interests are probable starters.
Sooner or later Air France may be in the picture. Meantime, several airfields will cater for internal airlines and pri vate flying in New Caledonia, and sur plus equipment is expected to be avail able there soon.