'PLANE COLLISION

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 96, 24 April 1931, Page 9

'PLANE COLLISION

AIR CHIEF KILLED. . Fatal Brush With Saluting Machine. PARACHUTE FAILS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12 Noon.) RUGBY, April 23. The Air Ministry announces that Air Vice-Marshal Felton Vesey Holt, the officer commanding the fighting area of the air defence of Great Britain, and Flight-Lieutenant Moody were killed at Seahurst Park, Sussex. The fatality occurred when a Moth of Squadron No. 24, piloted by Lieutenant Moody, collided witli a Siskin machine of Squadron No. 43. The sole occupant of the latter escaped injury. Air Vice-Marshal Holt joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1913, and in 1928 was appointed Director of Technical Development at the Air Ministry. Air Vice-Marshal Holt left Northholt to inspect the Tangmere air station, where four 'planes went up to give him an aerial salute. One of the saluting 'planes, which was involved in the collision, returned to the aerodrome with a damaged wing. A woman at South Downs watched nine machines flying over in perfect formation, followed' by two others. One of the rear 'planes seemed to touch the other, which swooped down, looped the loop, then crashed. One of the occupants, believed to have been Air Vice-Marshal Holt, attempted to escape by parachute, but was too near the ground, and the parachute failed to open. He fell like a stone. DARWIN'S WELCOME. Smithy " Makes Good Landing On Small 'Drome. TWO SEA CROSSINGS PLANNED. BRISBANE, April 23. The Southern Cross, which is en route to Koepang to pick rip the Australian air mail from the crashed Imperial Airways liner, arrived at Darwin at 2.40 p.m. today. Air-Commodore Kingsford Smith made a perfect landing at Darwin's short aerodrome, which is uhsuited for a large aeroplane. He dislikes trees round an aerodrome, as they are a hir.iranee when rising. The airman has dumped all his unnecessary paraphernalia, and is flying as light as possible. He will 'hop off for Koepang at daybreak, and will return the same day, if possible, with the City of Cairo's mails. The whole township gave an ovation to the famous airman. * EASY TAKE-OFF. TIMOR SEA HOP STARTED. (Received 2 p.m.) DARWIN, this day. The Southern Cross left at T. 20 this morning for Koepang. A large crowd saw Smith take off. He rose easily after a run of halfway across the small aerodrome and was last seen over Point Charles. He expects to leave Koepang to-morrow and is due at Darwin again about two in the afternoon.

FLIGHT COMPLETED.

CAPTAIN HAWKS' SMART TRIP. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 12 Noon.) RUGBY, April 23. Captain Frank Hawks, who yesterday attempted to fly from London to Rome and back in one day and was forced down soutli of Paris on his return flight, to-day reached Heaton aerodrome, having flown from Le Bourget in 59 minutes. The previous record (to Croydon) was (50 minutes, this being an average of 17-3 m.p.li. LONDON AIR MAIL. LETTERS FROM VICTORIA. MELBOURNE, April 23. The first air mails for London, which were loaded on to the Southern Star to-day, include SOOO letters frpm Victoria. Additional mail matter will be loaded at Sydney and Brisbane, where the Southern Star will end her flight. She will transfer her mails to a Queensland and Northern Territory machine, whence they will again be transferred to an Imperial Airways aeroplane.