Instead the pair joined the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club, where they learnt to fly Tiger Moths.
The brothers spent 1947-48 in Japan with the occupying forces, where they represented New Zealand in the British Commonwealth Occupational Forces in swimming, wrestled in the All Japan Championships and played in the army band.
In 1952 Mr Thorne received his commercial pilot's licence and he was soon flying all over the North Island in Air Contracts' Tiger Moths.
When that contract ended, Mr Thorne worked for Wanganui Aero Work and later the Manawatu Aerial Topdressing Company, where he flew Cessna 180s.
In his spare time, he enjoyed aerobatics, and won several awards. In 1966 Mr Thorne and his brother were working for Field Air when Colin crashed, suffering serious injuries which put an end to his career as a pilot.
Not long after the crash, Clive Thorne stopped flying commercially.
He retained his passion, however, and later joined the Sport Vintage Aviation Society based at the Masterton aerodrome. He went on to be head of department at the Government Life Insurance Corporation, where he worked for 10 years before retiring.
When he was not flying, Mr Thorne, who grew up in a musical family, played piano, saxophone and clarinet, and was a member of several Masterton bands, including Trad 7.
He taught music privately and in schools, and passed on his love for music to his children, who were part of a family band which sometimes played around the town.
He was the founder of Masterton's first judo club, a lifetime member of the Aero Club, and an avid squash player.
A commemoration of Mr Thorne's life, which will include a special presentation, will be held at Rosewood Funeral Home, 415 Queen St, Masterton, today at 2pm.
