RECORD BROKEN

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 49, 21 November 1932, Page 9

RECORD BROKEN

England to Cape Town MRS. MOLLISON’S FLIGHT Chorus of Congratulations Official wireless. Rugby, Nov. 18. Mrs. J. A. Mollison (Amy Johnson) completed her great flight from England to Cape Town at 1.30 G.M.T., thus establishing a new record for the 6200 miles journey. Her time was 4 day,s 6 hours 52 minutes, the precious record held by her husband being 4 days 17 hours 22 minutes. Practically unassisted she repaired the lubricating fault in her engine at Benguela, to which she returned after the trouble developed, and resumed her flight at 4.20 p.m., having lost nine hours. She rested three hours at Mossamedes and left at 2.50 a.m., on a non-stop flight to Cape Town. Overwhelmed with Congratulations. A vast crowd assembled at Cape Town to witness her arrival, and the airwoman was overwhelmed with congratulations on her magnificent achievement. Within a few minutes of landing she was in telephonic communication with her husband in London, who assured her of the personal pride he felt in her performance, which, he said, would probably do more to advance British aviation than any single flight had yet done. When Mr. Mollison suggested that she must be very tired after four days’ flight during which she had only five hours’ sleep, she said she was not too tired to go on talking. In a broadcast talk at Cape Town, however, she said that the strain of sleeplessness had been terrific. Referring to her experience on the journey, she said that the worst stretch was from Duala to Benguela. flown by night. She is delighted to have beaten her husband, though she said, “I would not be surprised if ho hopped into an aeroplane and attempted to smash my record.” Mrs. Mollison’s machine, the “Desert Cloud,’ is a standard De Havilland Puss Moth cabin aeroplane, fitted w\th a Gipsy Major engine of 130 horsepower, equipped with special petrol tanks. Normally these machines carry tanks of 35 gallons capacity, but, by utilising the space occupied by the back seats for fuel tanks, the capacity was Increased to 129 gallons, the range being increased from 650 to 1850 miles. Her route was the most direct possible, halts being made at Barcelona, Oran in Algeria, Gao Niamey, Duala, Benguela, and Mossamedes. TEST OF ENDURANCE Ready for Return Journey KING’S CONGRATULATIONS (Received Nov. 20, 6.30 p.m.) London! Nov. 19. The Kins has telegraphed to Mrs. Mollison: "Heartiest congratulations on your splendid achievement. I trust you are not too exhausted.” In a broadcast speech relayed to London, she said that she undertook the flight as a test of endurance. She had sleet over-night on her flight to Australia, but had now flown day and night. She was still quite fresh and ready to return.

Is is reported that she shows little distress after fourteen hours’ continuous sleep. In an article in the “Daily Express,” written before her departure, she said : “It is not a pioneer flight, but I want to be the first woman to fly solo on this route, and I want to keep my hand in for long-distance flying and satisfy myself with regard to my powers of endurance.” Husband’s Praise. Mr. Mollison said: “I knew Amy would do it. The feat would be fine for a man: for a woman it is splenSpeaking at a dinner held by the Brooklands Automobile Racing Club, Mr. Mollison said that it was nearly the happiest day of his life when he knew that his wife’s skill had enabled her to beat his record. Prior to receiving the news he had been under the impression that she did not possess sufficient endurance. Presented with £lOOO. Mr. A. E. Whitelaw, a Melbourne merchant, has given Mrs. Mollison £lOOO in recognition of her performance. Captain Broad describes the feat as the most magnificent any airwoman has yet achieved. M. Costes, the French champion, says that it would be fine for a man, but still finer for a woman, though there is no reason why a woman, whom he places on an equal footing, should not emulate the male aviator. Congratulatory cablegrams have been sent by Lords Londonderry and Wakefield, the Aeronautical Society, and Captain Hope, the King’s Cup winner.