GIRL DEFIES ICE

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 12317, 2 April 1938, Page 4

GIRL DEFIES ICE

ALTITUDE PLIGHT With the temperature 16 degrees below zero, and miniature ice crystals lashing her face, Miss Nancy Edwards, 18-year-old air girl, accompanied by Flight-Lieut. Littlejohn, recently climbed 15,000 feet in a light plane. The flight was undertaken despite a warning by the State Meteorologist Mr Mares, that there was danger of ice forming on the wings of the plane at higher than 5000 to 6000 feet, Miss Edwards’s flight was a preparation for her attempt on the Australian light plane altitude record of 21,100 feet, established recently by Mr Jack Kingsford-Smith. A stiff, squally breeze was blowing across the aerodrome when Miss Edwards took off at 10.44 a.m. The object of the flight was to gain practical experience for her record attempt. She was equipped with headphones through which Flight-Lieu-tenant Littlejohn instructed her at various stages. Miss Edwards manipulated the controls.

When the plane landed shortly afternoon, Miss Edwards's hands were numbed with the cold.

“It was too cold up there,” she said, as she swung her arms energetically. “I think I’ll wait till summer before I make any attempt to establish a new record."

Flight-Lieutenant Littlejohn said that the plane was still climbing steadily at 15,000 feet. They had returned because of the intense cold and the fact that the engine began to stall.

Flying conditions were turbulent at Mascot Aerodrome, When Miss Freda Thompson, Victorian airwoman, attempted to laud after flying from Moree, the tail of her plane was caught by a sudden gust of wind and she narrowly escaped overturning.