AKRON DEFECTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 87, 13 April 1933, Page 7

AKRON DEFECTS.

KNOWN TO AIR CHIEF. Repair Work Was Held Over Till Later Date. BREAKING OF GIRDERS. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 11 a.m.) NEW YORK, April 12. A naval inquiry into the disaster to the airship Akron, which was wrecked with the loss of 73 lives last week off the New Jersey coast, was commenced at the Lakehurst naval air station.

Lieutenant-Commander Edwin Cochrane, assembly and repair officer of the United States Naval Air Station, testified that it had been planned to strengthen, on her return from the last flight, the Akron's structure in the area in which two of the survivors said that they saw two longitudinal girders break. AIR ARMADA. 24 Italian Flying Boats to Go To Chicago. TRIP ACROSS ATLANTIC.

(Received 11 a.m.) ROME, April 12. The Ortobello air port is humming with preparations for the flight from Rome to Chicago of 24 Hying boats via Amsterdam, Londonderry, Iceland, Greenland and Canada. There will be four men in each machine, which has, a cruising speed of 150 miles "an hour.

General Balbo, Air Minister, will head the flight. He will carry greetings from Signor Mussolini to President Roosevelt. ANXIETY FELT. Silence of Italian Airman on Flight to Australia. SNIPED IN PERSIA? (Received 11.30 a.m.) . LONDON, April 12. The Italian airman, Captain Leonida Eobbiano, who left on Saturday on a flight to Australia, has not been reported since he left Aleppo on Sunday. The air attache at the Italian Embassy hero said that Italy is anxious regaining Captain Eobbiano. It is believed that he has met sandstorms or been "potted" by snipers when flying over Persia. Urgent inquiries are being made at Basra. The airman carries a week's food. ' / BIGGER PRIZE GIVEN. London-Melbourne Flight Now For £15,000. DONOR'S EXTRA AWARDS. MELBOURNE, April 12. Sir Macpherson Robertson, who recently offered a prize of £10,000 for an air race from London to Melbourne, has offered to increase the prize-money to £15,000.,. The donor suggests that a first prize of £10,000 be awarded to the competitor who wins, together with a gold cup, £1500 to the second and £500 to the third. Also Sir Macpherson suggests a prize of £2000 for the most meritorious flight having regard to the power and size of the craft. Other minor prizes are planned, also a special gold medal for every pilot who completes the course.