TASMAN AIR RECORD

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27094, 18 July 1953, Page 6

TASMAN AIR RECORD

Mustang Sets New Time MR WHITEMAN AT WHENUAPAI (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 17. A New Zealand pilot, Mr J. L. Whiteman, today broke by 12 minutes the record for a trans-Tas-man flight. He flew a single-engine Mustang fighter from Richmond, near Sydney, to Whenuapai. The distance of the flight was about 1280 miles. The Mustang’s average speed was about 366 miles an hour, and during a dive over the ManUkau harbour, it reached 600 miles an hour. The plane flew over the control tower at Whenuapai at 4.42 i p.m., after crossing the Tasman in 3hr Simin. The Mustang has been entered for the London-Christchurch international air race next October. After a smooth landing at Whenuapai, Mr Whiteman climbed stiffly out of his cramped cockpit. There was a large crowd on the tarmac to greet him. He was given three rousing cheers. Mr Whiteman’s personal luggage comprised one small suitcase and a cane lunch-basket. It took him several minutes to overcome the deafness caused by his dive at 600 miles an hour.

Mr Whiteman claimed that if the supercharger on his plane had been working, he would have reached Whenuapai in two hours and a half. “The supercharger should have cut in

at 18,000 feet, and didn’t,” he said. “There must have been a lot of sludge in it.” The Mustang is tuned to reach a straight and level speed of 450 miles an hour with the engine working properly. At times Mr Whiteman flew at 30,000 ft. The air temperature near Australia was 32 degrees below zero. At 25,000 ft near New Zealand the temperature was 52 degrees below zero. From Whenuapai, Mr Whiteman sent the following message to his wife m Sydney, “Arrived safely; am frozen stiff.” The Sydney office of an oil company will give Mr Whiteman £ 100 for breaking the record. This, he says, will just pay for the fuel. If he had failed to break the record, which had been held by a Pan American Clipper, he would have received £5O. Mr Whiteman has spent about £l5OO so far on the Mustang. He bought it at the “right price” from the Commonwealth Disposals Board. It was “brand new.” having flown only about 23 hours. It had been stored for four years. It is 18001 b lighter than a service Mustang, because it has been stripped of armour and guns. Mr Whiteman said that his brother, Mr William Whiteman, a Feilding engineer, would probably make the two variable pulsating jet engines that he wanted for the London-Christchurch air race. The design was partly his own, he said, and the engines would be similar to the German war-time “buzz” bombs. Mr Whiteman expects to leave for Sydney next Friday. He may call at Norfolk Island on the way. The jet engines will not be ready by then. He has three children, and his family will come to live in New Zealand after the air race. The Royal New Zealand Air Force is storing the Mustang at Whenuapai. Mr Whiteman may fly it on Sunday to Mangere, where he will be the guest of the Auckland Aero Club.