AEROPLANE NOT REPORTED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21908, 8 October 1936, Page 11

AEROPLANE NOT REPORTED

MISHAP FEARED

FLIGHT OVER TIMOR SEA

ATTEMPT ON feECORD TO

ENGLAND

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.)

(Received October 8, 12.40 a.m.)

DARWIN, October 7,

It is feared that Lqrd Sempill’s Monospar aeroplane, piloted by Mr Harold Wood, has been forced down in the Timor Sea. The Government patrol boat Larrakia has been dispatched to search for the machine.

Mr Wood took off from Darwin at 4.50 a.m. local time, and has not since been reported. The aeroplane arrived from Melbourne yesterday, having covered 2435 miles in 12hrs 59min.

Mr Wood was accompanied by the designer of the aeroplane, Mr F. F. Crocombe, an engineer, Mr L. Davies, and a radio operator, Mr C. P. Gilroy. The machine had a load of 11,3001 b, mostly petrol and spare parts. Mr Wood planned to reach Singapore, 2347 miles from Darwin, to-day. y Mr Wood intimated before he took off that he intended to breakfast at Koepang about 7.30 a.m. The radio station at Darwin heard a last weak signal from the aeroplane when it was about 70 miles from the coast of Koepang. A Qantas aeroplane, with the British mails, left Koepang at 12.45 p.m. for Darwin, and sent a wireless message that it has seen no sign of the missing aeroplane ove” the Timor Sea.

Mr Wood said he was confident that he could keep his promise to the crew that they would have lunch in London next Sunday. To do this, Mr Wood must fly more than 12,700 miles without relief at the controls and break the record of 5 days 15 hours from Darwin to London held by Mr Owen Cathcart-Jones and Mr Ken Waller. [The aeroplane mentioned in the message is a Monospar Croydon, which has been described as Britain’s fastest and most luxuriously equipped air liner. Lord Sempill and three companions originally left England on July 15 in an attempt to break the record to Australia. A slight defect developed at Vienna and the aeroplane’ returned to London. On the second attempt the machine was delayed at Karachi by damage to the undercarriage, and Lord Sempill returned to England, leaving his companions to complete the journey. The Croydon Monospar has accommodation for 10 passengers and a crew of two. This particular machine, the only one so far built, is fitted with two Pratt and Whitney motors of 400 horse-power each, which gives it a top speed of 210 miles an hour and a cruising speed of 190 miles an hour. It is intended, however, ultimately to use Bristol motors of greater horsepower, which will give a top speed of 270 miles an hour and a cruising speed of 250 miles an hour.l

FIVE HOURS OVERDUE

(Received October 8, 1.45 a.m.)

SINGAPORE, October 7,

Lord Sempill’s aeroplane is five hours’ overdue at Koepang, and was last seen 450 milies from Darwin.