FLIGHT OVER EVEREST

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24614, 10 July 1945, Page 4

FLIGHT OVER EVEREST

— * — MOTION PICTURES TAKEN NEW ZEALAND AIRMEN IN MOSQUITO (R.N.Z.A.F. Official News Service.) CALCUTTA, July 7. Two New Zealand Mosquito pilots, Flight Lieutenant Cliff Andrews, of Wellington, and Flight Lieutenant Jack Irvine; of New Plymouth, have made motion picture history by filming Mount Everest. The two New Zealanders were returning from a photographic reconnaissance sortie when heavy storms forced them to alter course.. They finally came out of cloud near the 29,000 feet peak. Circling for almost an, hour they filmed the glittering crags and glaciers. "We suddenly came into a clear sky, and there was the peak, its famous ‘plume’ waving from the summit,” said Flight Lieutenant Andrews. “I have never seen anything so impressive as that mass of dark blue rock, with its fields of intense white snow standing stark against a ‘blue bag’ sky. It was awe-inspiring to find this glittering earth beside us. From 30,000 feet the earth is usually a pale brovjn shadow.” This is believed to be the first time that motion pictures have been taken of Mount Everest. Two aeroplanes of an expedition financed by Lady Houston and led by Squadron Leader the Marquess of Clydesdale (now the Duke of Hamilton) flew over Mount Everest in April, 1933. The equipment included motion picture cameras.