Early in the ’sixties the Squadron moved into the Marlborough Aero Club hangar, where rooms and an area for parades had been made available. Sqn. Ldr. R. L. Brewer became C.O. on 22nd September 1961, followed by Flt. Lt. L. N. J. Loader for a short period. The new intake of cadets in 1962 was 20; these joined the 40 who returned from 1961.
The year 1962 was also the A.T.C.’s 21st Anniversary, and this was marked by a New Zealand-wide cadet relay run from Invercargill to Auckland.
Fg. Off. B. M. Simpson assumed command of the unit on 26th September 1963 and served until he handed over on 4th February 1964 to Sqn. Ldr. V. L. A. Powell, who was to retain command for 15 years, retiring in December 1978.
The Squadron was allocated one of the few remaining “Link Trainers” in 1964.
Gliding was officially introduced into the training syllabus in 1965. Prior to this it had been a “recognised” activity only.
In 1968 a belated 25th Anniversary of the Squadron’s founding was celebrated by the holding of a Squadron Dinner in the Airmen’s Mess at Base Woodbourne. It was attended by Squadron Officers and 50 Cadets.
On the night of 22nd May 1968 a fire in an electrical panel in the Orderly Room did considerable damage and necessitated a temporary shift by the Squadron the the Airman Cadet School at Base Woodbourne.
It was on the 3rd August 1968 that the Squadron took delivery of its own powered aircraft, thus becoming the first Squadron in New Zealand to own its own aircraft. A de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth, registration ZK-BSN, and for ten years she was used for cadet flight training. At a later stage she was used to tug the glider.
This was red letter day for the unit. It was the culmination of a huge fund-raising effort which had secured the required $900. The first $500 had been raised mainly raffling a playhouse which had been constructed by the Squadron Adjutant, Fg. Off. John Pattie, from materials donated by Fg. Off. B. M. Simpson, and a further donation of $100 was recieved by the Brevet Club Marlborough. The remaining $300 was loaned by Major B. F. Bowles, USAF, C.O. Longbank, and two of his Sergeants. (Longbank was a USAF unit then based at Woodbourne for several years.)
These three Americans were taught to fly the Tiger and the loan was repaid in this manner.
No. 27 Squadron Cadet Sgt. Murray Herd was the first to solo in the aircraft. Cadet J. Flemming was another who flew the Tiger.
ZK-BSN was sold in 1979 to the Squadron’s former C.O., Sqn. Ldr. Powell. The aircraft later returned to Omaka and is now based in Papakura.
