MISSING AVIATOR

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11837, 19 January 1933, Page 3

MISSING AVIATOR

BURGLARS AT HINKLER’S .. . * HOUSE. i EVER Y ROOM RANSACKED. (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Jan. 17. Burglars ransacked every room in Squadron-Leader Bert Hinkler’s South amp ton home. A postman, calling with letters, saw the dining-room window smashed. The police found the house in wild disorder. ■ It’, is impossible .vet to say what has been stolen, hut Hinkler kept many valuable gilts and trophies there. Snow and sleet, prevented Captain Hope searching for Hinkler, and bo lias transferred his headquarters to Lausanne, which is handier than Simplon. Those familar with the Alps are apprehensive that the snow will obliterate all traces of the aeroplane. A new report is that a machine was seen on January 7 over Lake Geneva, and also another going from the Rhone Valley towards Simplon, which is an unusual route.

CLUE TO THE THEFT

SECRET PLANS OF MYSTERY PLANE MAY HAVE GONE

CABLE TO MRS HINKLER '

(U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright) (Received Jan. 18, 7 pan.) LONDON, Jan. 18.

The Daily Chronicle says that the thieves may have stolen the secret plans of Hinkler’s monoplane, with which he hoped to make a fortune and bring aviation within the reach of the family man. The plans would be of the greatest value if the thieves were 'aide to place them in the right quarters. It is believed that the raiders thoroughly examined the monoplane in the shed, and fears are also held for the blue prints in the house, but the wife’s absence prevents a certainty on this point. A cable message, seeking information, is being despatched to her, also inquiring what valuables were in the house. GADGETS ON MACHINE. LONDON, Jan. 9. Special devices which Hinkler invented were fitted to his plane, lhej include a simple apparatus for dee livering an ’occasional small quantity of clean oil. He uses an inverted Mass bottle, from which a tube leads tn the engine. Hinkler pours in a half-pint of oil every half-hour or less, according to engine temperature. Tins does away with the use of sump oil, which gets increasingly dirty on a long flight. He also introduced his own ‘ flowmeter”, by which he- checks petrol consumption with a stopwatch. Moreover, he has an illuminated instrument board with a faint blue light under a small flexible hood. I'lns prevents glare from the wind-screen. Finally, he has snugly fitted halfgallon petrol cans in special j-ecepla-cles. which prevent such clattering as lie had on bis trans-Atlantic trip when they suggested engine knock and gave even such an intrepid pilot as lie is a a had quarter of an hour until lie ascertained the reason. DID HE GET ACROSS CHANNEL? (U.P.A. by Elec. Tel. Copyright.! PARIS, JAN. 17. The French authorities have exhaustively inquired for Hinkler at the request of the British Air Ministry. They report that there is no evidence or an unknown airmail crossing France unseen, and it is unlikely that Hinkler had gone so far out of his course as the Alps, especially ui winter time.

The authorities fear that he met with disaster in the Channel.