Catalina For Scrap-Heap

WHEN Captain C. J. Le Couter took TEAL’s Solent flight out from Auckland for Tahiti early in July," it marked an interesting coincidence.

Captain Le Couter made the first TEAL survey flight along the Coral Route—checking landings, radio facilities, etc., in preparation for the now fortnightly service—and the aircraft he used was a white Catalina named Maroro (flying fish). Exactly one year later, as the TEAL Solent left Auckland, a news paper advertisement offered the Maroro, now stripped of engines, instruments and all fittings, foT sale —“delivery on buoy at Mechan ics Bay.”