CENTENARY AIR RACE

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21243, 15 August 1934, Page 11

CENTENARY AIR RACE

ANOTHER NEW % ZEALAND PILOT CHANGE OF FORTUNE AT LAST MOMENT (rROU OClt OVVM COEaESPOKOEXi.} LONDON, July 10. Flying Officer H. D. Gilman, of the Royal Air Force, an will be a competitor in the coming centenary air race to Australia. For a considerable period the possibility of Mr Gilman starting in the race was in grave doubt, although he had paid the entrance fee of 50 guineas many months back. The doubt was not dispelled until 11.56 a.m. on June 1, four minutes before the entry lists closed. By great good luck Mr Gilman, by mere chance, met a business man home for a holiday from India. Appreciating the immense service that aviation has already done for the country of his adoption, he offered to put up the money for the machine. What makes the interest all the greater is that the donor, who has enjoined strict anonymity, is an Englishman who lived previously in New Zealand. In India lie now owns a plantation. Mr Gilman is, of couse, I delighted that the opportunity to | compete in the great event became possible at the last moment. There is no time to have a com- j pletely new machine built, so Mr Gilman will pilot a Fairey machine, with a cruising speed of about 190 to 200 miles an hour, and a radius of about 1750 miles. It will be completed by August 20, tests will be carried out during September, and this will allow for any slight modifications that may be necessary. | There will be 28 machines in the speed race—which Mr Gilman has entered—and the same number in the handicap race. The New Zealander has now to choose a mechanic to accompany him. Mr Gilman has a record of 2400 flying hours, 1500 of which have | been done with the Royal Air Force. MUSTAPHA KEMAL ASKED TO RELENT MK MOLLISON APPEALS TO HIM "AS A SPORTSMAN" LONDON, August 14. Mr J. A. Mollison has telegraphed to Mustapha Kemal (President of Turkey) appealing to him "as a sportsman to waive the refusal to myself and Amy to fly over Turkey in the air race, imposed because of our unintentional technical infringements of Turkish air rules." Mr Mollison told the "Daily Mail" that he had prepared an alternative route for use in the event of Kemal not relenting. It embodied a detour j substantially increasing the flying time, though not ruling out his chances of success. j NO NOTICE OF AMERICAN i WITHDRAWALS | | LONDON, August 13. Commenting on New York reports that most of the American entrants are doubtful starters in the Centenary Air Race, Mr H. E. Perrin, secretary of the Royal Aero Club, states that there has been no advice from the Americans since they paid their entry fees.