“GREAT SCOTT!"

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXI, Issue 12398, 10 November 1934, Page 9

“GREAT SCOTT !"

A BORN RECORD-BREAKER

CAMPBELL BLACK IS ALSO SPLENDID AIRMAN.

Mr. Scott, or “Scotty,” as bo is more- affectionately known to Australians, is one of the most popular airmen who lias taken a machine up into Australian skies. Let us look at what he and Black have dono. England to Australia in three days! Even to modern folk, accustomed as we are to new wonders every day, it sounds well nigh incredible. Where once a, sailing ship cut a long and dreary passage—and a hazardous one, too—across wide and treacherous seas between the mother country of the Empire and Australia, arriving at its destination months after departure, a machine, representing the perfection of aircraft designers’ art, now streaks across the skies, annihilating distance, and making a week’s return trip from England to Australia, a possibility. But it takes more than a machine to- fly across the world in record time, lb also taltcs men or women —of stamina and courage. Air. Scott and his team-mate, Captain Campbell Black, are no fledglings; both have served long apprenticeships to Hying. Both were members of the Boy a) Air Force before they took up commercial flying, Scott coming to Australia, while Campbell Black followed his calling in South Africa.

CLEVER BOXER, TOO. Charles William Anderson Scott was born in England on February 13, 1903, v and was educated in his homeland. He was still a boy when the World War was being fought—a. war in which aeroplanes came into their own as weapons of offence. 'Jhen came the Peace, but the progress in aviation continued, and many enthusiasts gave their lives in order that man might conquer the air. Like many other young men who were reared amid the stress of the war period, Scott took a great interest in the development of aviation, and, in 1922, at the ago of 19, lie joined the Royal Air Force and became a member of the 32nd Fighting Squadron. Flying is ho holiday of the R.A.F., and when Scott Icit the Force in 192< he had nearly 900 hours of flying to his credit, including over 70 hours of night flying. But flying was not his only accomplishment in the Royal Air Force. Ho also made his mark as a boxer, his splendid physique—he is ft. tall and broad-shouldered —standing him in good stead in the ring. Ho was middleweight champion of the Royal Air Force.

KNOWS AUSTRALIA WELL. The year Scott left the R.A.F. he went to Australia, and joined the service of Qantas, the well-known Queensland and Northern Territory Company. It was while flying in that company’s service that he secured the accurate knowledge of the Northern Australian terrain, which stood him in good stead after be left Darwin during the Centenary race. He remained with Qantas until 1930. In 1929, while on leave, Scott visited Singapore, and there met Miss Kathleen O’Neill, of Melbourne, whom ho married a few weeks later Up to this time, Scott had been a flier; lie was now to become a re-cord-breaker. When Miss - Amy Johnson (now Airs. Alollison) reached Darwin on her wonderful solo flight from England in May, 1930, Scott flew to meet her on behalf of Lord Wakefield, one of the sponsors of her flight. It was while discussing the flight with Aliss Johnson that he formed the plans for his own dash from England to Australia -which wsffi to wrest the record from Air Commodore (now Sir Charles) Kingsford Smith. DASH TG AUSTRALIA. Accompanied by Airs. Scott mid their daughter, Rosemary, Scott left Brisbane for .England by steamer on Christmas Eve, 1930. He made careful preparations for the flight, and, backed by I/ord Wakefield, secured a suitable machine —a Gipsy ATotli. A splendid athlete, ho went into ti aiming for his hazardous adventure, and by April 1, the date of his departure, he and Iris machine were “in the best form.” He left Lympne Aerodrome at 4.55 a.lu. on April 1, 1031, and made what was then a. thiilling dash across Europe and Asia, to land at Darwin at 5.30 p.m. on April 10. Thus he estblishcd a record-for the flight of 9 clays 12 hours 45 minutes, compared with Kingsford Smiths time of 10 days 2 hours 10 minutes. The late Squadron-Leader Bert Hinkler, on his pioneering flight in a light machine, took nearly six days longer. But these records are things of the past—Scott has reduced the time to three days. Late in May, 1931,'Scott loft again for England, .intent on breaking Air Commodore Kingsford smiths time for the homeward flight of 12 days 12). hours, established in the, famous monoplane Southern Cross. He did so, clipping 2 days, 9A hours oft the time.• ■■’ . , , • . •. . Scott, who remained in England after his • record-breaking flight .from Australia, is ’a member of ■ the Guild of Air Pilots and Air "Navigators of the British Empire: