OFF COURSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 256, 29 October 1934, Page 8

OFF COURSE.

- *■+ — LOST FOR TIME. AUCKLAND FLYERS. Hewett and Kay May Reach Melbourne To-day. ENGINE GIVING TROUBLE. (United r.A.-Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 12.30 p.m.) DARWIN, this day.

The Auckland flyers SquadronLeader J. D. Hewett and Messrs. C. E. Kay and F. Stewart, who are holding sixth place in the Centenary air race, arrived at Darwin at 8.3S a.m. on Saturday, local time, and resumed their flight at 10.18 a.m. The airmen got off their course after leaving Darwin and were lost for some time. They did not reach Newcastle Waters until late in the afternoon and remained there all night. Yesterday they flew on to Cloncurry, where they stayed tile night. At Cloncurry one engine was giving trouble when the 'plane arrived, but the flyers will continue to Melbourne this morning, where they will have the engines overhauled. Trim Dragon Machine. The trim D.H. Dragon, painted a tangerine colour, was a picture in the brilliant tropic sunshine when it arrived at Darwin. The airmen alighted from the machine looking particularly fresh. They said the flight across the Timor Sea was the best part of the journey so far. The weather was calm and delightful. Mr. Stewart said they had had a really magnificent trip throughout, although thunderstorms had disturbed them somewhat when they were approaching Penang. They were at Allahabad when they heard the good news that Messrs. Scott and Black had arrived at Melbourne. .Everybody everywhere was acclaiming Scott as the greatest flyer of the age. Mr. Kay said the Dragon, which is named Taintti, is to be taken across the Tasman Sea as soon as weather conditions permit after their arrival in Melbourne, because she has been commissioned for air mail work in New Zealand. The machine has a top speed of 165 miles an hour and a cruising speed of about 140 miles. Squadron-Leader Hewett said the Dragon was delivered to them two days before the start of the race. He wanted it to be as perfect when it reached Melbourne as when it left London. Consequently they had proceeded steadily during the race.

'PLANE DAMAGED. DELAY AT CLONCURRY. (Received 2.30 p.m.) CHARLEVILLE, this day. A message received here from Cloncurry states that Messrs. Hewett and Kay damaged their 'plane prior to taking off this morning. They are remaining as Cloncurry to effect repairs. PROTEST LODGED. Suspected Sabotage of New Guinea 'Plane. FLYERS' COMPLAINT. (Received 11 a.m.) PARIS, October 28. Messrs. Parer and Hemsworth, who flew the New Guinea 'plane in the Centenary air race, suggest that they were victims of sabotage. They found the sparking plugs clogged with oil when they landed at Calais and Abbeville. They are lodging a fortnal request for an investigation by the Aero Club. HONOURING AIRMEN. FREE RETURN PASSAGES. (Received 1 p.m.) " MELBOURNE, this day. Plans are now being formed for the giving of a luncheon at Parliament House to visiting airmen, probably on Wednesday. The luncheon will possibly be preceded by a triumphal procession through the streets. The Orient and P. and 0. Companies have offered air race competitors free return passages to England. "JUST A TRIP." AIRMEN AT LAVERTON.

MELBOURNE, October 28. There were only a~ few people at Laverton aerodrome this morning to welcome Messrs. McGregor and Walker on their arrival. Their time on the flight from Mildenhall was 7 days 14 hours 58 minutes. Those present included Mr. W. G. Black, president of the Manawatu Aero Club, Mr. B. M. Firth, New Zealand Government representative, Colonel Helier Evans, president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, Messrs. A. E. Fraser and L. L. Beeson, representing the New Zealand Association in Melbourne, Mr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P. (Lab., Avon) and Mayor of Christchurch, the Rev. E. T. Cox, Mayor of Dunedin, Lieutenant Buckley, of the New Zealand Air Force, Mr. N. 'C. Chandler, instructor to the Marlborough Aero Club, Mr. J. G. Armstrong, a New Zealand pilot. When the tiny machine was wheeled into the hangar the spectators laughed as it was accommodated under one wing of Mr. Parmentier's machine. "Just a trip," was Mr. McGregor's comment. "The weather was bad after , we left Darwin and we lost a lot of time trying to follow the tracks people had advised us to watch for. These usually petered out at a water-hole." Mr. Walker said: "The cowling of the engine worried the life out of us. Every time we stopped we had to repair it instead of resting." Though the handicap points will not be calculated for more than a week Mr. McGregor and his co-pilot are expected