FINE NEW MACHINE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 98, 23 October 1934, Page 8

FINE NEW MACHINE

PASSENGER'S DESCRIPTION

A description of the lost airliner Miss Hobart and the service upon which she was engaged was giv^n to tho "New Zealand Herald" by Mr. Noel Simmonds, of Hobart, who arrived at Auckland on Saturday. Mr. Simmouds was a passenger by the same machine from Launceston to Melbourne only ten days earlier. She had been in commission a littlo over a fortnight and was regarded as the largest aeroplane in Australia. Tho Miss Hobart, Mr. Simmonds said, was a twelve-passenger de Havilland biplane used to begin the subsidised daily mail and passenger service between Melbourno and Hobart, supplying also the Bass Strait link for the England to Australia service to start shortly. When the accident occurred sho was operating only between Melbourne and Launceston until the new aerodrome at Hobart was completed. It was intended to extend her service to Hobart about Christmas. FOTJR-ENGINED MACHINE. The machine arrived from England less than a month ago, and after she had been assembled and tested at the Laverton aerodrome, it was found that her performances were even better than had been guaranteed by the manufacturers. Mr. Simmonds said the Miss Hobart was handsome in appearance and was so neatly designed that her size was deceptivo when sho was in flight. The four Gipsy six-cylinder engines were situated in a row on the lower wing, and each was of 200 horse-power. The machine's appointments were luxurious. The twelve seats ranged one behind the other the length of tho cabin were of the armchair type, very comfortably upholstered and covered with grey morocco leather. An attractive shado of grey predominated in the whole colour scheme.

The cabin, said Mr. Simnionds, had been specially constructed to make it sound-proof, and ordinary conversation could be carried on without one having to raise his voice unduly. Tho visibility was excellent, and by means of patent appliances each passenger was ablo to arrange tho ventilation to his liking. Smoking was permissible and the independent air vents were arranged so that non-smokers would not bo inconvenienced by smoke. Lavatory accommodation was provided at the roar of the cabin.

As to tho performances of the ma- j chine, it had been stated by Captain Holyman, tho chief pilot, that in the tests carried out at the Laverton Aerodrome, the Miss Hobart, with a full load, had climbed to 5000 ft at full throttle in Smin lOsec, and had gone up to 13,000 ft as cruising speed in 14 minutes from the ground. Opened out tho machine attained the maximum speed of 180 miles an hour, her cruising speed being set down at 145 miles an hour. At 13,000 ft ono engino had been shut off and the machine had maintained height and climbed. With two engines on one side shut off at 5000 ft, she had maintained height. With one engino on either side shut off sho had climbed at 5000 ft. That performance had been guaranteed at only 3500 ft. COMPLETE SET OF INSTRUMENTS. The instrument board presented a fine array of "gadgets," including electric petrol gauges, four electric revolution counters, electric oil gauges, tho latest typo of turning and banking indicator, compass, and ascent and descent indicators. Tho wireless was the latest Marconi set for transmitting a.iid receiving either tho voice or Morse code, with a guaranteed rango of 500 miles for the voice and 1000 miles for Morse. Directional wireless instruments wero also provided. I

Tho Miss Hobart, continued Mr. Simmonds, had a landing speed of 70 miles an hour, and was capable of taking off on three engines. Her weight was 10,0001b fully laden, and her pay-load was about 30001b. Sho was fitted out completely for uiglit flying if necessary, with the necessary navigation lights and reading lights for passengers.

Mr. Simnionds said a second machine of a similar type to the Miss Hobart had been ordered by the company, and would leave England about the middle of next month, arriving in Melbourne just bofore Christmas. It had been the intention of the company to use this machine to replace tho Miss Launccston, which had been carrying on the service in conjunction with Ihe Miss Hobart.

The assistant pilot, Mr. G. Jenkins, with whom Mr. Simmonds had conversed during his trip recently, was a man of wide experience in aviation, having served for four years in the Canadian Air Force and for two or threo years in tho transcontinental American mail aeroplanes. Mr. Simmonds said Mr. Jenkins had told him that; across Tasmania, there was some of tho worst flyiDg country in tho world.