New Zealand Flying School facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The New Zealand Flying School was started in 1915 by two brothers, Leo and Vivian Walsh. Their goal was to train pilots for the Royal Flying Corps during World War I.

The school used special planes called flying boats. These planes could take off and land on water. They flew from Mission Bay in Auckland's Waitemata Harbour. Today, there's a sculpture nearby that remembers the Walsh brothers.

More than 100 pilots learned to fly at this school. Many of them went on to serve in the war, including a famous pilot named Keith Caldwell.

After the war ended, the school found it hard to keep going. So, in 1924, it was sold to the New Zealand Government.

Planes They Used

The New Zealand Flying School used several types of planes:

Avro 504 K & L
Boeing Model 1 - Two of these planes were bought in 1919. These were some of the very first planes made by the Boeing company!
Curtiss Model F
Airco DH.6 - One of these planes was damaged in a storm in August 1920 and was not fixed.
Supermarine Channel
Walsh Brothers Flying Boats - These were planes designed and built by the Walsh brothers themselves.

See the School on Film

A documentary from 1993 called "Wings on the Waitemata" shows old videos of the Walsh brothers' flying school. You can find more information about it here: [1].

Images for kids

Walsh Brothers type D flying boat

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New Zealand Flying School Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.