Story: Aviation

Flying the length of the country

Flying the length of the country

In October 1921 pilot J. C. ‘Bert’ Mercer flew a de Havilland 9 biplane from Invercargill to Auckland, with a total flying time of less than nine hours. The record-breaking flight was partly funded by the Flemings cereal company – hence the advertisement for Cremoata porridge beneath the wings. Mercer’s achievement made New Zealanders aware of the exciting possibilities of aviation.

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Aerial Surveys, Whites Aviation Collection

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Peter Aimer, 'Aviation - Early flying feats', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/6569/flying-the-length-of-the-country (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Peter Aimer, published 12 Jun 2006