MARATHON’S ARRIVAL

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26030, 6 February 1950, Page 3

MARATHON’S ARRIVAL

BRITISH AIRCRAFT ON DEMONSTRATION “The Press" Special Service AUCKLAND, February 3. . The demonstration Handley Page Marathon arrived at Whenuapai from England yesterday in the course of a world sales tour. The Marathon was flown by Mr H. Kendall, who is chief test pilot for Handley Page at Reading England. Group Captain A. F. Bandidt, commercial manager, acted as second pilot. The plane also carried a wireless operator and navigator. Mr R. Constantine, and Mr R. C. Hobbs, service engineer, and Mr J. Parker, de Havilland Engine Company representative. The 12,000-mile flight to Sydney via Rome, Athens. Singapore, and Darwin was covered without incident by the plane, which is designed principally for feeder service and 500-mile hops. It weathered a tropical storm over the Timor Sea, but on the trip to Norfolk Island on Wednesday a broken oil lead forced the pilot to fly in on three motors.

Two extra fuel tanks were fitted inside the Marathon for the 1400-mile Tasman Sea crossing. They will be removed during the test runs and seats for 20 passengers, which were carried in the baggage compartment, will be installed.

National Airways pilots took a keen interest in the Marathon. A high-wing four-engined monoplane, ‘'the aircraft has a low-slung fuselage and tricycle landing gear. A triple fin is designed to give added stability. It will fly 22 passengers and their luggage for 500 miles at cruising speeds between 160 and 210 miles an hour.

The aircraft will be operated by National Airways on a time-table service in place of one of the present fleet over several different routes. Its operational economy and ability will be checked on airstrips in the North Island and on the West Coast of the South Island. After being refuelled the plane took off for Milson. where National Airways Corporation pilots will undergo instruction in handling it. The Marathon will then be turned over to National Airways for performance trials.