BRITISH AIRSHIP R101

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 83, 4 October 1930, Page 9

BRITISH AIRSHIP RlOl

TESTING TROPICAL VOYAGE

STARTING TO-NIGHT

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received -Ith October, 11 a.m.)

RUGBY, 3rd October

Tho airship-810l will leave Cardington to-morrow night on her Jiiglit to India. The vessel has the most passenger accommodation of any airship yet .built, but in view of the .experimental nature of, airship flying in tho tropics few will be, carried on' this trip. They will include'the .Air Minister (Lord Thomson), the Director of Civil Aviation (Sir Sefton Brancker), SquadronLeader Palstra (of the Eoyal Australian Air Force), the designer of 8101 (Colonel Richmond), AVing-Commander Colmaa, and Major Scott.

1 The vessel carries a crew of five officers and 37 men, and the total number on board will be 53. Flight-Lieutenant Irwin is captain of the airship and Squadron-Leader Johnson is navigator. On the outward journey on high flight over the experimental part of the journey between Isrnailia and Karachi a practically constant following wind is expected. The most difficult stage of the whole .flight will be from Karachi back to 'Ismailia, where an unfavourable wilid current will now have,to be overcome. On each section of the flight, from Cardington to Ismailia and from Ismailia to Karachi, four days' rations will bo carried. Theso will consist of two days' ordinary rations, one day's half-ration, and one day's emergency ration. '

Lord Thomson hopes to complete the round trip'by 19th October, so that he may attend Imperial Conference discussions on transport. The mooring of the vessel at Ismailia will be made the occasion of an air banquet at which tho Air Minister and the Acting-High Commissioner in Egypt will entertain a number of .guests in the spacious din-iug-room of RlOl.