OVER LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 69, 22 March 1928, Page 7

OVER LONDON.

KING AMANULLAH.

Afghan Monarch Flies In

Largest Air Liner.

" THE GREATEST THRILL."

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received 1 p.m.)

RUGBY, March 21.

King Amanullah of Afghanistan had what he described as "the greatest thrill which the West has given me," when he flew over London to-dav.

The machine in which he flew was an Armstrong-Siddeley "Argosy," the largest air liner in the world.

It is a 20-seater, used by Imperial Airways on the cross-Channel services. Captain Rogers was pilot, and the passengers included Sir Samuel Hoare, Secretary of Air, Air-Vice-Marshal Sir Francis Brancker, Sir Francis Humphreys, British Minister at Kabul, and members of the King's suite. There were 17 passengers in addition to the pilot, mechanic and steward.

King Ama nullah eagerly watched the constantly changing panorama below. On his head was a pair of earphone*, by means of which he could hear wireless conversation being carried oh between Croydon aerodrome and the pilot.

The King, through an interpreter, declared that one of the things that pleased him most was to see Buckingbam Palace and its grounds as he flew overhead. The air liner flew at a

height of aiKtut 2500 feet. After passing over the Crystal Palace it went down the Thames to the Tower of London, and then passed over St. Paul's Cathedral, Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park, crossing the Thames on its return journey over the Vauxhall Bridge. A perfect landing was made after the flight. A Handley-Page machine took up the remainder of King Amanullah's suite.

The King left London this afternoon for Swindon, where he went over the Great Western Railway Company's works.