DARING FLIGHT.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 247, 18 October 1928, Page 7

DARING FLIGHT.

MOTH FOR ATLANTIC.

British Aviator Takes Off In

Tiny Craft.

ONLY DONE 80 HOURS' FLYING.

(Australian Press Assn.—United Service.)

(Received 10 a.m.)

ST. JOHN (Newfoundland), Oct. 17.

Commander H. C'. Mac Donald, an English aviator, hopped off from Harbour Grace on Wednesday in a Moth 'plane for England.

Commander Mac Donald is 28 years of age and has done 80 hours' previous flying.

The Gypsy Moth 'plane has a wingspread of 26 feet and carries sufficient fuel for 35 hours* flying. The engine is from 80 to 100 h.p.

The machine carries neither floats nor wireless.

Mac Donald learned to fly only recently. After only eight hours' solo flying he toured Ftance, Italy, Egypt, Arabia, Palestine and Iraq in a Moth. When returning he made a forced landing among a party of Arabs, who held him a prisoner until he managed to send a message to an Italian armoured car force.

He is a skilled navigator, and is using the 'plane in which Captain Broad recently established a record of endurance, with a flight of 24 hours.

The machine weighs 8801b; and it has an 85 h.p. Gypsy engine.

Mac Donald is extremely popular in the Navy, where Ms courage is acknowledged. Vain efforts were made to dissuade him from his project.

ONLY A TEST?

'PLANE FULLY FUELLED.

(Australian Press Assn.—United Service.)

(Received 11.30 a.m.)

ST. JOHNS, October L 7.

The weather was perfect for the takeoff at 1.21 p.m. Mac Donald stated that he would make a five-hour test flight but he had a full load of fuel and all equipment.

A message - received on September 19 stated that a solo flight in a Moth ''plane across the- Atlantic was contemplated by Lreu tenant-Commander Mac Donald in hia own machine. He recently made a tour across Europe to Syria after only eight hours' flying experience. By crossing the Atlantic from Newfoundland to Ireland, he hopes to complete the first flight of its kind with a small 'plane.