DOGGED AIRMAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 248, 19 October 1928, Page 7

DOGGED AIRMAN.

PERILOUS JOURNEY.

Adventurous Flight With Prince's Pictures.

AFRICA TO LONDON RACE.

(United Service.)

LONDON, October 18,

A race to bring to London from Africa the first pictures of incidents in the visit of the Prince of Wales to Nairobi -was won by the King's Cup winner, Captain W. L. Hope. He accomplished the perilous journey of 6000 miles in ten days in a Gipsv Moth 'plane.

Captain Hope was unconscious for two days owing to sunstroke at Atbara, where the temperature was 122 degrees in the shade. He then pushed on in a dazed condition over flooded country, where engine failure would have meant his instant death.

A dust storm forced the airman to fly low over the dreaded Nuer district. Hostile tribesmen endeavoured to spear the passing; aeroplane. Captain Hope burned out an exhaust valve, which he replaced in a desert workshop. He arrived at Alexandria exhausted after a night flight againßt head winds.

The aeroplane was bundled on board a departing steamer. The airman had sufficiently recovered at Brindisi to take the air again. He encountered rain and gales and on nearing Paris ran into fog and collided with a huge bird, which broke the propeller of his 'plane and damaged a wing. He procured another 'plane and alighted at Croydon day* ahead of his rivals.

TO BEAT HINKLER.

Extra Pilot For Longer Daily

Flights.

AUSTRALIA-CROYDON TRIP.

(Received 10.30 a.m.)

SYDNEY, this day.

The departure of the Spirit of Australia for England has been postponed. A second pilot will probably be carricd to enable longer daily flights, so as to achieve the end desired to beat Bert Hinkler's time from England to Australia.

SMASH IN JAPAN.

HUENEFELD'S BAD LUCK.

(Australian and N.Z. Press Association.!

(Received 10.30 a.m.)

TOKYO, October 18.

Baron Huenefeld, who left Germany early in October on a good will flight to Japan, passed over Osaka this morning. Later a heavy rain and fog compelled a forced landing a short distance from his destination. The aeroplane was damaged but the aviators were unhurt.