LONG CRUISE

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 9, 5 October 1927, Page 11

LONG CRUISE

OF ROYAL AIR FORCE SEAPLANES ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA Rugby, October 3. Further particulars are available of the 25,000 miles cruise from England to India, Singapore, Australia, and the Far East to be undertaken this month by four Royal Air Force seaplanes. The machines are of the Southampton type, each equipped with an all-metal hull, which is about 9001 b. lighter than the old wooden hull, and having two 450 horse-power Napier-Lion engines. They will leave Plymouth on October 17, and are fitted to fly independent of shore help, except for mooring and refuelling. Thus the crews will cook meals and sleep aboard, and rations and spare parts will be carried. Group-Captain Cave-Brown-Cave will command, and, in addition to the pilots, mechanics, riggers, and wireless operators will be carried The tour is undoubtedly the most ambitious sendee flight yet contemplated. In the early stages of the flight the machines will fly to the French seaplane station at Hourtin, near Bordeaux, oyerhind to Berne (Switzerland), continuing via Naples, Brindisi, and Alexandretta, across the Syrian desert to the Euphrates. The machines will stay some time at Karachi before beginning a cruise of the Indian coast-line, calling at Colombo en route for Calcutta. From there they will proceed via Rangoon to Singapore, where they will make a halt. Afterwards they will go via the Dutch East Indian Islands to the Australian seaboard, flying round to Fremantle and proceeding via Melbourne to Port Darwin, and afterwards back to Singapore. The programme will occupy about twelve months.—British Official Wireless. SCHNEIDER CUP TEAM Rugby, October 3. The Prime Minister will to-morrow receive members of the victorious British Schneider trophy team at Downing Street. —British Official Wireless. ’