The First Aicraft in Fiji

It alighted.
That’s what flying boats (mostly) do.

Why would an RFC fighter pilot necessarily have preferred a DH6 to an Avro?

In short – it’s very doubtful an RFC pilot (scout pilot OR artillery) would prefer a DH.6 to anything. They were unloved and I’d say the Avro would be a preferred option every time.

So it’s a fair question and I can’t think of a reason…

EDIT: unless it came down to cost or availability I guess.

. .being a flying boat, did it technically “land”?

It alighted.
That’s what flying boats (mostly) do.

]Tom French said DH6 – because Frank Fleming was RFC fighter pilot.

Why would an RFC fighter pilot necessarily have preferred a DH6 to an Avro?

I goofed in post#4 – Should have read Fleming.
Agree Fenton not till 1930.

It seems that regardless of what type it was, Fleming failed to commit aviation in 1921. The original poster will know all about it but apparently the Supermarine Channel G-NZAI was shipped to Fiji in 1922 and flew successfully but being a flying boat, did it technically “land”? It would have been “landed” from the ship but did it “land” in the aviation sense? Probably it is valid to say that Smithy’s Southern Cross was the first aircraft to land in Fiji but the real significance was that it was the first to fly in, land and fly out again.

Furthermore, it looks like the previous posts are confusing Fleming and Fenton. The article referenced in the original post suggests that Fenton did not come on the scene until the thirties – or am I missing something?

Good grief!!!!! Wikipedia was wrong. 😮

Fleming said the date of arrival of his DH6 was March 1922.
Then Walsh Brothers & Captain Upham operated a SuperMarine flying boat in 1924 – Kingsford Smith in 1928.

Tom French said DH6 – because Frank Fleming was RFC fighter pilot.

Well according to Wikipedia the first aircraft to land in Fiji was Kingsford Smith’s Southern Cross on the trans Pacific flight.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Cross_(aircraft)