[?]Ovieland

[?]Erial Capers At

[?]Arotonga

[?]Rops In

By Gordon Russell

Amphibious Catalina aircraft e rather rare birds of passage ese days and Rarotonga was in

igued early February when

ro showed up in one week, both

ivately owned and officially

anted leave for a “technical >p”- ORST to appear, February 1, was refuelling overnight from Pa peete bound Pago, Canton and molulu; a shipshape craft smartly Bssed in green tonings. 3he was flying for the Friends Tahiti Club, and out stepped a jw of four and a mixed bag of ren American tourists, young d old, male and female. Among 3m was Mr. Kimball, of Kimball rways, Honolulu, owner and op itor of this South Seas charter tfit.

Sarly proof that these folk were im Stateside was furnished by an lerly lady who, on learning that lerica had that day launched a ;ellite in answer to Sputnik, gave ;ry sign of being rejuvenated.

Hr. Kimball, president of the lends of Tahiti, was happy to it Rarotonga on this circuit, and, gathered, was quietly looking md with an eye to potential siness.

'And how did you get this far, . Kimball?”

From Honolulu to Tahiti via ristmas Island, about three weeks 3k.”

Christmas Island? Odd that a vate American aircraft could so ichalantly crash through the al nuclear barrier; but we left at that.

"Tahiti Stinks!"

Text morning they were off, very uck with the local scene and an :ommodating administrat ion. ahiti” said one elderly gent stinks!”

Text ‘cat’ on the scene, arrived ew days later, eastbound through rotonga for Papeete from Apia h ten aboard, one British, nine lerican.

Vith TEAL’s Hibiscus service on last marine legs, every aerial itor is now viewed as a possible ‘tent of things to come, so was s Kimball back again, quietly 1 swiftly getting a leg in? No. is Catalina, The Spirit of Mag in, is owned by Clyde A. Young, Bellflower, California, and )ted by Captain J. Edwin Jones,

of Jones Aviation Service, San Diego, California (and still retains its austerity wartime look intern ally) .

These folk were globe-trotters, and movie-makers to boot. Mag ellan Productions was the title, said Mr. Stuart Jewell, leader of the party, and the globe was almost circled. Only Tahiti remained, then Honolulu, and home to Long Beach California.

Unpopular

“By way of Christmas Island, Mr.

Jewell?”

“No. We looked into that, but it’s back on our tracks through Pago and Canton. You see, Mr.

Kimball’s call at Christmas Island was unpopular, and he was given one hour to get out.”

So that was it!

Next morning they were off, too.

But not for long. Ten minutes out she reported: “One engine mis-

firing.” Soon, trailing an ugly spray of engine oil, she touched down and taxied in.

Inspection revealed the worst.

Something inside had come adrift and punched a hole clean through the crankcase. ‘‘Say, how do you get out of here?” ... “Maybe a month, did you say!”

Soon the morse keys at Raro tonga Radio were crackling out signals to Tahiti. Apia, Fiji, New Zealand: Wanted in a hurry, one DC3 engine, air freight, and, wanted, one vessel, air or water borne, to uplift marooned Ameri cans.

Content with having set their lines, Magellan Productions re laxed for the balance of the week end on coral strands.

A Marked Change But it didn’t last long. There was a marked change in the demeanour of some members of the party.

Recriminations now seemed the order of the day, often voiced in a manner embarrassing to local resi dents. Most, it seemed had separate contracts and every individual move was suspect. The gloss was gone; here was a little bit of Hollywood from the inside looking out.

And these people were not used to easy island ways. “I want a single room with bath” said one gent to our overburdened hotel manageress, wondering who she could double up next.

“It’s time we got outa here”, said one lady, “get me America on long distance.”

Said another, concerned with her desperate plight, “Say, where are the nearest US troops around here?

Put me on to them, wilya?”

Now it seems the whole party is to board the Charlotte Donald for Aitutaki, there to split and go their various ways.

The engine? Not in sight yet, and presumably this little matter will be handled later, if at all, surface transport preferred.

The “cat” will be tied down in the hurricane pit, Rarotonga air port, until further notice.

The movie party's leader, Mr. Stuart Jewell, on the left. —Both photos by lan Forbes.

The “Spirit of Magellan" just before Its. abortive take-off at Rarotonga in February.