We flew to Christchurch is a short film from the 1950s that shows KLM Royal Dutch Airlines’ participation in the handicap section of the 1953 Canterbury Air Race from London. KLM flies the new DC 6A Liftmaster, “Dr. Ir. M. H. Damme,” a freighter converted into a passenger plane. The film opens at the airport in London where the KLM Liftmaster prepares for the race; the Duke of Bluster and Dr. Albert Plesman, president of KLM, watch the plane take off. The Liftmaster takes off (01:05), and there is a shot of the cockpit with the captain and the flight engineer at work. The passengers (migrating to New Zealand) relax in the cabin (01:36). KLM stewards prepare food in the plane’s kitchen (02:09). Women passengers knit to pass the time while on the plane (02:30). There are shots from out of the plane’s windows, showing mountains and seas of clouds. The Liftmaster touches down in Karachi, Pakistan (02:58), where it refuels as local people wave to its passengers. The plane next lands at Kamaran (03:48), near Jakarta, for refueling. Footage shows the passengers in the cabin sleeping and talking with each other. A shot from the plane shows the mountains of New Zealand (04:33). The Liftmaster touches down in Christchurch (04:48). A delegation of Maori greets the new arrivals with a tribal dance (05:03). The General Governor of New Zealand awards the KLM crew for winning the handicap portion of the race (05:29). On the return trip to Europe, the Indonesian Air Force band greets the Liftmaster (06:05) during a stop. The Indonesian Minister of Communications greets the crew. The KLM plane arrives at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (06:35). Dr. Plesman is there to thank the crew. Spectators cheer the crew as they disembark from the ship (07:02). The Dutch Minister of Transport and Public Works greets the crew (07:23); he then bestows the Order of Knighthood upon Captain Kooper, Co-Pilot Griffith, First Telegraph Operator Kieper, and First Flight Engineer Van den Ham. Dr. Plesman addresses the crowd (08:25), talking about how the plane landed right when it was scheduled to. The film ends with shots of the crew, as well as the Liftmaster flying through the air.
The 1953 London to Christchurch air race, the “Last Great Air Race”, was 12,300 miles (19,800 km) long, from London Heathrow to Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand and took place in October 1953 after Christchurch took the decision to declare their airport as International in 1950. The race was divided into an outright speed section and a section for commercial transport aircraft types.
KLM’s Douglas DC-6A was competitor No. 21 in the race to Christchurch and carried a group of emigrants. It was displayed at London Heathrow before departure for New Zealand.
The speed section was won by a Royal Air Force English Electric Canberra PR.3 flown by Flight Lieutenant Roland (Monty) Burton and navigated by Flight Lieutenant Don Gannon. The plane touched down at Christchurch Airport 41 minutes ahead of its closest rival — after 23hr 51min in the air including 83 minutes on the ground; to this day the record has never been broken.
There have been many films made about the commercial section of this race: a Vickers Viscount which finished first, followed by a Douglas DC-6A of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines which was declared the winner on handicap. A Royal New Zealand Air Force Handley Page Hastings also took part. The victory of the Canberra has been less publicised, flying at an average speed of 495 miles per hour (797 km/h). The distance, by the route followed, was 12,270 miles (19,750 km) so that the actual speed was 515 miles per hour (829 km/h) (or 546 miles per hour (879 km/h) including immediate stops).
Second in the speed section was Squadron Leader Peter Raw of No. 1 Long Range Flight RAAF in an Australian-built Canberra.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
