THRILLING MOMENTS

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 103, 3 May 1934, Page 11

THRILLING MOMENTS

BLIND ACROSS CHANNEL

LESSONS FOR AIR RACE

LONDON, May 1. Rubins and Waller had a thrilling moment over the Timor Sea when the engine suddenly ran faultily and the machine lost height. The men were perturbed, then remembered that one tank not properly filled had run dry. It was only a matter of switching from one tank to the other.

They reached Calcutta on April 26 and Aleppo on April 30. They left Rome this morning. This was their worst day's flying, as there were low clouds across France, and they flew blind through a Channel fog till they saw a Tiouse which.they recognised as a friend's bungalow at Pevensey, and landed at Eastbourne. Only 30 saw the landing, their arrival being quite unexpected.

Waller explained that when they left Darwin they had no idea, of breaking the record, but as they got on and found they were irfaking good time they decided on the last two days to go all out.

The trip was most valuable in giving them a better chance in the Melbourne race. The worst section was from Bangoon to Singapore, also from Darwin southwards over rough country with no plaeo for landing. The fog was so bad at Le Touquot that the authorities forbade their departure. After waiting for a while, they were allowed to go, having signed a document freeing, the aerodrome staff of responsibility.. Mr. J. A. Mollison's record time was 8 days 21. hours 25 minutes. ■',-,