This Sunday morning, a commemorative flight to Tauranga, starting from further north on the Coromandel Peninsula, will take place marking the anniversary of the first ever flight made by an aircraft to Tauranga.

George Bolt took to the skies on March 12, 1920, in a B & W (Boeing and Westervelt) flying-boat.

The first Boeing ever built - Boeing No 1.

The commemorative idea stemmed from a conversation between Peter Bolt, George's grandson, and Tauranga based Classic aircraft pilot Willie Kay.

'Peter and Willie were friends in the 60's and after making contact with him again after more than 40 years, we thought we should take the opportunity to show him what his grandfather did over 100 years ago in a Boeing biplane, following the same route in the same month at the same time of day,” writes Peter Layne.

During his flight 103 years ago, George Bolt was the Right Reverend Bishop Henry Cleary, the Catholic Bishop of Auckland, who had flown with Bolt on previous flights, predominantly north of Auckland, to make pastoral visits while Bolt was delivering mail.

This Sunday's flight will involve two Tauranga based 1930s vintage Boeing Stearman aircraft, planning to arrive at Tauranga at precisely 11.05AM.

Boeing One will be carrying Peter Bolt and Willie Kay with Boeing Two flown by another local Classic pilot Mr Marty Cantlon and passenger.

Peter Bolt and Willie Kay will fly on to Whakatane and Opotiki to commemorate Peter's Grandfather's arrivals there as well. Arrival in Whakatane will be at 1.32pm.

This arrival, 100+ years later, will coincide with the precise arrival time of the 1920 flight by 27-year-old George Bolt who landed the float plane, opposite Victoria Wharf.

He then taxied the Boeing to the small beach near the former Commercial Hotel on The Strand.

This is in view of the Tauranga Harbour railway bridge, which was then under construction and is still in use today.

Several early Tauranga photos exist of this historic aviation event.

Significantly, the float plane was the very first aircraft built by William Boeing. Boeing No 1. The fact that Boeing's first two aircraft were sold brand new in New Zealand is a truly remarkable aviation fact.

This 1920 flight in Boeing 'F” Bluebill originated on Auckland's Waitemata Harbour, rounded Cape Colville before circling Port Charles where they dropped a bag of mail from 800 feet to the local postmaster.

They then followed the coast to Bowentown and circled Katikati, before alighting on Tauranga Harbour, 2 hours 19 minutes after take-off.

After a brief stop for inevitable speeches and chat with the many excited onlookers, George Bolt and Bishop Cleary carried on to Whakatane and Opotiki with the remaining mail.