AIRCRAFT RACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 72, 26 March 1928, Page 7

AIRCRAFT RACE.

ITALY'S POSITION.

'Planes Convertible For War

HEIGHT AND SPEED RECORDS

(By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.)

LONDON, March 25.

The Rome correspondent of the limes says Italy possesses 1800 aeroplanes, of which 1000 could be utilised immediately for war purposes. Last year 420 were constructed.

The Under-Secretary for Air, Signor Balbo, in explaining in the Chamber of Deputies the expenditure of £7,608,000 for military and civil aviation, claimed that Italy held third place in European civil aviation.

She was only surpassed by France and Germany. Italy would open five new air lines in June, including connections with Spain, Germany and Tripoli. Signor Balbo recalled the fact that Italy holds the height and speed records and said she aims at capturing the records for distance and duration now held by America.

In a message on the occasion of the ninth anniversary of the creation of Fascismo the Prime Minister, Signor Mussolini, draws attention to the forthcoming enrolment of 80,000 young Italians. He says: "Thus every year the base of the pyramid is enlarged. Millions of men form an armed guard the Fascist revolution which is coinciding ever more closely with the nation."

ATLANTIC SERVICES.

HUGE COMPANY FOAMED.

PARIS, March 25.

The French airman, Rene Fonck, has returned frpm America. He says a company has been formed with a capital of £8,000,000 to organise a trans-Atlantic air service. There will be a series of floating islands at every 325 miles across the Atlantic. One of these will be completed shortly and will be moored 200 miles from New York.

AERIAL DERBY.

HDTCLER PULLS OUT.

MELBOURNE, March 25.

The Victorian aerial Derby was flown yesterday. It was won by Major de Havilland. Captain Matthews was second and Mr. L. Farmer third. Mr. Bert Hinkler took part in the race, but did not finish.

ANXIETY RELIEVED.

BRITISH STRIKE SETTLED.

LONDON, March 25.

The 100 fitters who struck work in consequence of a wages dispute at the airship factory at Howden, Yorkshire, where the dirigible RIOO is under construction, giving rise to the fear that the delay thus caused might favour Germany in her feverish efforts to be first to start a trans-Atlantic airship service, will be back at work on Monday, the strike having been settled.

—(A. and N-Z. and Sydney "Sun.")

A FLYING VISIT.

YANKEES TO TOUR EUROPE.

LONDON, March 85.

A party of American tourists will fly over Europe in a fleet of 30 aeroplanes. They will land from a steamer at Bremen, Germany, and from there will visit 16 cities, flying from one to the other. The distance covered will be 2800 miles and the time taken will be three weeks. After that the party will return to America.