AFRICAN AIR RACE

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 99, 23 October 1936, Page 7

AFRICAN AIR RACE

REGARDED AS FIASCO

GILES GUTHRIE'S STORY

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, October 3.

"A disappointing event," is how Major F. A. de V. Robertson describes the 'Portsmouth-Johannesburg air race , in the "Manchester Guardian." "Without detracting from what is certainly a fine performance by Scott and young' Mr. Guthrie, it must be confessed that this-' race has been disappointing—in fact, it has been a fiasco. Nine aeroplanes left Portsmouth. They were all good machines of modern type, and as they lined up for the start thej< made a highly creditable display of British aircraft, each and all-calculated to .make a good impression on the-crowds assembled in Johannesburg. "The pilots were all men of reputa' tion,- mostly ex-officers of the R.A.F,, and all in the forefront of British civil flying.. Most of them, too, had plenty of experience in long-distance work, and to:keep at the joystick day and night without sleep was nothing new to them.: Yet'only one of these nine aeroplanes arrived. The four prizes offered to .the leaders in the handicap event cannot now be awarded. , '.'There seems no' reason for the fiasco. Nobody was to blame and no moral is to be drawn, but it is very unfortunate. One cannot help wondering what would have happened if Major Miller had not retired early in securing petrol. His Mew Gull is much faster than a Vega Gull, as Captain Halse was able to show before he met an unexpected anthill after landing near Salisbury." THE FIRST THRILL. Giles Guthrie, who flew with Scott, in a story -published by the "Daily Express," said of .the race: "The, first thrill came 'When, flying high above clouds- over . Europe, we came down near -Belgrade. There was Victor Smith in his open aeroplane—another youth' in search: of adventure—-half-frozeii.and .flying in circles, obviously lost. .He followed:us: to Belgrade."But unlucky." Victor was not the1 rival who was : to: worry us. David Llewellyn landed >there:> too. ■'• He became our 3h£dbw'. almost, the drone of his aeroplane following .us from place to;-place like; a; haunting 'echo. Always Llewellyn was" just:ten! minute's1 behind us, at .'Salonica,: at Khartoum, '' and there was a race' on the airport to be first in the air again. '.<■■■■■ ■ ;, ;'. ''We had a real taste of adventure flying over the Mediterranean in beautiful moonlight, with islands appearing as'massive."black. shapes -in silver waves..- Night hides some... of the: teri'drs of over the sea in a singleengine, aeroplane. Scott told; me he thinks.'the .ordeal worse in harsh- reyeillng daylight, but we landed safely at.Palmaza*, and over, the moonlit desert, majestic and silent with flashes of the broad.Nile, we flew for a thousand, miles through the night. At Khartoum R.A.F.' officers told grim tales of {he. wild, Africa variety—desolate country lay ahead of.us inhabited by hostile tribesmen'who, would not hesitate to torture lost airmen. In my quest for adventure'l was meeting the real thing, dqld.and rather terrible,' with suggestions of the' glittering spears of headhuntfef s' and the boiling cauldrons of Cannibals. . But it did not sound quite as terrible to Scott. ■. ; .: : . ;; "Fr,6m Kisumu to' Abereorn Avasthe worst part of the flight; bush fires raging over vast stretches ■of country sent 9JD;:a.-haze. that made the sun seem ..a black.'sphere. Darkness and moohftglit made it worse. Shores .of great African lakes could only dimly be seen, and by great .good fortune, after groping i blindly, .we made the. small Abercorn. airfield.;..'.' * . .. '■ "I.piloted the aeroplane at times, but Scott-.'was .wonderful. I admit; blushingly', of course, that'during my search for adventure I b.e<jsme a hero worshipper of this great airman." •■•"■; :. Giles Guthrie's mother, Lady Guthrie; on hearing the news, said: "I expect the air-is now settled as his career, ■though I sincerely hope he will not cause all this anxiety again; but I don't believe in stopping' him. It was a grim time, waiting—-long silences, then, towards the end, only news of other flyers' bad luck. It made me very afraid. Now I- feel nothing but pride —he is, a grand boy."