MISS JOHNSON'S STORY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 144, 21 June 1930, Page 6

MISS JOHNSON'S STORY

A MTEFUL LECTURE

PURCHASE OF AEROPLANE

.'. ';'.S ; '..,.;(Copyright.)' ..;',■■ •: i-■'•,••';'. '.■'".•' '■'■■■■. ■■/■. No;-vfiii..■■•:'•■• •■';..' v;i. ■.;'■ ■■ Miss Johnson describes the fererlsh haste to complete preparations in; the ten days that contained' from the day.'the. aeroplano was bought to the last day: It was safe to takeoff In time to miss the monsoons. She had met Lord Wakefleld, and with, his backing and her parents' help,finance,jvas assured..', - : ■.•..•":■' ; I knew that Mr.; James Martin of the aircraft works, was building a new type. of. aeroplane. -.'- Wo got together, and it was, arranged: that :he should build, his new craft, and I, should fly^ it to ' Australia. •.'.'.',.".' /.■-. --T; :'■.'•.■;'■.'''■ ■:■■■' : . Instantly r decided to: make a, dash for Australia. ■■~'-...■.• :': •■■.,.;-;.... . ,-"').■ . Plans were studied, and, imbued with the idea of making a name for myself so as to secure sufficient .influence and obtain work, I; decided to Vhurit for backing.-;,^ Calculating closely/I;set as my objective rth'e...beating' of Hinkler's record by.two.days. j.:V' :■ ': ■.'. :;''■: :-.■''■■• "With weather conditions 'equal to what he experienced, I could have done it, and, iyith exceptional luck, could lower the, record by four. days.v It-was essential,.-however, that : a. start, should be made before.■!the moflsoons, occurred in the East,:and I marked;my diary that ;sth. May ■ was -.the last. day; on which I could; expect- to cross before running;into monsoons.:; ;^ ■;' .: -

This precluded my friend jErpm allowing me.to use his aeroplane; -As it could not .be constructed anywhere near, that time, other plans had to; be devised.

Each day : it became apparent :that, I should., start as early as possible, as many others were ' : working to.: do the same/thing, and .'assuming; that ; all would be."successful, I had to get among the first to ,6tart. :>'::;:,_: ■y--!'i'Yy■"..'■■': PARENTS COME TO THE RESCUE. Borrowing;»' typewriter, I wrote appeals to .scores of persons for financial help,; but could get no response';.:'.; : .' ■ The idea of a woman flying to Australia was generally dismissed : with a sniff, or such comment ias '"a hairbrained."idea,''*: while Australia cabled that it was so' much^; hot'air. ■■■::-,,'.:. ' ■: ;.That got my, backfup, and Iwas determined t6ifreeze;thqse;who mouthed of :hot air.;.;: To my. fattier ■:!. went, and broke; down his opposition.;/ He offered to.helpj'b'ut ;all;of .his funds were invested in his; business,; and he could" not afford to take out the large;sum Again I searched: for some .benefactor, and wag beginning, to 'despair when father and Mother, wrote' me a touching letter. ,'...0^,-s. 'Vr.':.:':;:'i;■-;'.".£•:V>:^.--:: 'J-:;

'They; said they; were prepared to advance #80t):between them. ;Of,this sum '■£3.00! was;my, mother's, sole (worldly possession;; and I, would not touch it,, even if ,1; never, reached Australia.; •

.' So' I had-:£500; and for two weeks I could- not increase; it.- May- sth;;;was becoming dangeronsly closei* /Funded folk still thought "the idea \vas ";■' '.brain'ed;V.a'tfd.vl.:.^B:,b'6cbinilig.;di'Bconr-'----aged.\ ' ;;!•;■ :iw'. : ;--1-!"-"^3-^:;.-''''•■;:■" ■'':.■■-..' ..It''.did;'not-lessen' : :myreithuß.i^ni...f6r. aviation; ■ ,1 Vwent to'every ■, ilecture given, and;one;fateful night heard; Sir Sefton Brancker. (the Direetoi' ,bf Civil Aviation) speak, j.; His';, words; echoed the thoughts,of.'.my'brain'. v'.'.;u;;;';;'r,t:;.'; "England, " he- cri^,^ why'are; you lagging? Get loiitaiad do something,to build up aviation."..;. '. v ;:.; ' :l1; . ' His words; thrilled me, a^ad in a burst of enthusiasm.X: wrote; applauding ;himi and.teliing him"how'l.'wanted;,to.*do '.£Bj big thing.;,, Sir',6e'fton vbecame^Siterested.': V His;interest.;createdfaitK;;and then he &tfoftiS^ed;:'^J-:to''/l<brd';;'Wiie-' field, ''who caught some' of my feelings aridVbacked.-.me;.;;:.^ ■ -J-.-■]:'■. i t "-^;:'':'y":'^':''' OREAT JU)VENTTOE II?! BIOHT^ ; 'That nighi r'went home singuig and dancing with joy.; The' great < adveflture was within?reach;.; '; [It never, qcouired to me that: I' would faiL v ';' 'i-v.v.ri Instead of thinking of > such; things, I recollected that :tho Government-:had launched an Empire crusade. At'such a time a flight betweea England and some outposi of Empire! would help to strengthen. pur bonds, and .what :better country eouid be linked than'-Australia? The next great. question was what !aeroplane'vtoquld^i:/ take^ ■ I was soon taken to an aviator, who wanted to sell a amart machine, with which he had flown-iii the King's; Cup. He was willing to \ part with: it, but urged that ishould'take anotherof the same make. This had' the advantage, though," of being;,fitted, to -take additional, .petroli tanks for' long-distance flying.l::■•:■.;:;-■:/: "V ,"■') : .:'. v:'-^-'''.' It was the ideal thing,1 and I bought it on the spot for £600. It was a very old machine,"fitted.with: a ,N0i,12 en-gine—one--of the; very -first. Moth engines made, but itj was ; in; good .order, and had been well'looked after. < - ; .And that was how myi dear old Jason was- bought.^;' It came into my hands just ten days before I took off for, Australia/;: v .■•./;..C-J'-' '■■ '■■~'. >:;:.':^: y..-/i ■:■/-.' ":''■■■ : Thei posseission of, niy aeroplane only ten days , before the ; last r day on whicha start could possibly be made left the smallest margin for preparation. ' ..'' ;'.' Z'i':"'-:::\ <<-":'?'' .,-'-:.V.,■'■•';■ .'■:':;:'" The excitement and rush to complete the plans can easily'ibe imagined.v ; Engineers set to iwork overhauling the engine, fitting extra' petrol tanks; and testing the-pecessary implements needed for long-distance flying.: _• ':. ■;. ', v;Emergency parta.had to be.collected and minute consideration given to light, ening the load s6;as to.get the utmost out of. \the aeroplane, lit wasa constant whirl,: and ; those .days;are just a confuseel, membry.';;;';; '/■:'.;. -.-; ~ ; v Va :,■:.■■■ .-•;'■,■' 7raw;oipm;Eßonn!EßS.;;^ . At the last ininute'my people exhorted me to wear -a•parachute. ■ >I could not afford one*: but to oblige them after so much kitfdness I wrote to the Irving Parachute Company to '■■ lend me one. Contrary to all precedent the company lent mo one specially fitted and padded; .It was made, at the last minute, specially for myself; but when iif arrived we diacdveredt that a; special seat had to be made) and the rush was intensi'fled.-■'!;•...■'■:. . ■:■ v.'--".<:^ <■■■.■■ t. V ?. Thea eamc: the; great day, when I flew to'Croydon ready for the great adventure. An engineer was in ; the cockpit, and the London Aeroplane Club sent.an escort of six machines flying in formation.:. vO' l\,:; <■ '■'::' '-•,'.'■:■ /■".''■'■"i'!■;""

.The loyalty of those erigineers>was inspiring 'to me." ; Through' all adversities they, backed up my effort, encouraged and advised,'and above all things worked day arid hight'tot make:. the Jason airworthy. Greeting them once again: is one of the moments yet ,to oome that fills me with tingling joy and 1 excitement. :; s ; ,.:-- ;.r- ■.•■V. I .-v::.--.-'.;;

;,Unfortunately the escort could not remain at Croydon to witness, my departure. ;,: We Baid' good-bye, and I was left with just a: few o£ the faithful friends who had confidence in me.: : ;