SURPRISE HOP

Grey River Argus, 15 November 1934, Page 5

SURPRISE HOP

OVER THE TASMAN STARTING LAST NIGHT By Pair of Young Men (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) (Received November 14 at 7.25 p.m.) SYDNEY, November 14. Two young New Zealanders, Ron Whitehead, aged 24 years-, and Rex Nicholl, aged 26, intend taking off from Mascot Aerodrome this evening for Gerringoug BeacJj, where they will load 117 gallons of petrol preparatory to making a flight to New Zealand. This supply of fuel will give them a flying range o£ twenty hours, and the aviators intend to leave for New Zealand immediately the petrol is loaded. Whitehead and Nichol] intend flying throughout to-night, and they hope to arrive at New Plymouth at six a.m. New Zealand time to-morrow.

They are flying in a Puss Moth plane, named the “Faith in New Zealand” and it is understood that this machine is the first Puss Moth to have been brought to Australia.

The plane was obtained by Whitehead’s father, who is a business man belonging to Wellington. The preparations for the flight, such us the installing of tanks for the extra fuel supply, and the painting of the name on the plane, were carried out at Mascot at night time by friends of the aviators, all being done virtually in secrecy. There is no intention to leave without proper authority, however, anr Commonwealth officials to-day subjected the machine to the customary tests, which were successfully passed. Whitehead informed the New Zealand Press Association that he had every confidence of accomplishing a successful flight. The plane had been overhauled by a good mechanic Bad weather is predicted for the first two hundred miles of their hop to Now Zealand.

THE DEPARTURE FROM MASCOT. (Received November 14 at 9.10 p.m.) SYDNEY. November 14. Whitehead and Nic'holls left Mascot Aerodrome for Gerringong Beaeli at 5.35 this afternoon. They should arrive at the beach at 6.15 p.m.

Single-Engined Plane BEASON FOR NIGHT FLIGHT. NO RADIO CARRIED. (Received November 14 at 10.20 p.m.l SYDNEY. November 14. Raymond Whitehead was born New Zealand. He went to 'England in 1930. He there " mined with the Royal Air Force, lie has done extensive flying since he arrived in .- im tralia. ' He holds a ‘'l’.’' Pilot’s !•- cense. He has done four hundred flying hours. Nicholls is a resident of Manly. They will take turns in the piloting of their single-engined machine. The petrol tanks occupy most ot the space in the plane. I" order to give themselves more leg room, i<! aviators are flying without hoots. They carry no radio. . ~ “We would rather fly at night.

said Nicholls. "You can't get an) landmarks off the sea or 'the sky m the daytime. We will have the benefit of the stars at night. ’ Their Puss Moth plane is at least i,i it h‘i« l)P(‘ii rebuilt four years old. It n-ts nctu bv the fliers themselves.

Very Belated Advice TO NEW PLYMOUTH AIR PORT. NEW PLYMOUTH, November 14. No information regarding the intention of the young airmen, Whiteheat, and Nieholl, to land at New Plymouth, has been received here, other than tonight’s cable from Sydney, and no special arrangements had been made for their landing, until the an poit officials set to worls. to-night.

Whitehead’s History PAL OF GUY MENZIES. FATHER UNAWARE OF PROJECT. WELLINGTON, November 14. The first intimation that Whitehead’s father had that his son even contemplated the flight across Tasman Sea was a telephone ring from the newspaper “Dominion” to-night statting that he was about to leave. Mr Whitehead’s only comment was a startled “Oh!”

Whitehead, whose Christian name is Raymond, not Ron, as cabled, is the only son of Mr A. P. Whitehead, who is the principal of Whitehead and Pears, a large Wellington drapery house. He was educated at Wellington College and at Victoria UnrversHy College. He was a member ot. the literary staff of “The Dominion from 1927 to 1930. Then he joined the R.A.F. on a short service commission This he relinquished last year, and, on returning to New Zealand, he took out a commercial license. He then left for Australia, where, he has been operating an air taxi service. . He was taught to fly by the airman, Flight Officer Kav, who to-day crossed Tasman Sea with Hewett, and his most intimate friend in the Air Force was Guy Menzies, who flew Tasman Sea alone in 1931, landing at Harihari, in South Westland. CAPE RECORD ATTEMPT. RUGBY, November 13 Jones and Waller have provision ally fixed Sunday, at dawn, for the start of the proposed record breaking flight to Capetown in the De Haviland Comet, in which they recently made a return flight of 2000 miles. They pro-

pose to fly via the Sahara Desert Nigeria, and down the west coast of Africa. LONDON TO CAPETOWN RACE. LONDON, November 13. Sir Abe Bailey told the “Daily Mail”- I have received a cablegram from the Mayor of Capetown, asking whether I will sponsor an air race from London to Capetown. I am shortly announcing my decision, will do anything to assist South Africa and believe that the event will be generally popular. CAPETOWN, November 10. Plans are afoot for a spectacular air race next year from Britain to South Africa and back on the lines of the Robertson race. The race would be the most colour ful feature of a lavish celebration next May, both of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Union, and the twenty-fifth anniversary of the King s accession to the Throne. U.S.A.-GERMAN AIRSHIP SERVICE. LONDON, November 13. The “Financial Times’s” Berlin correspondent says: Lt is understood that Eckener, who recently visited America, practically concluded arrangements with the American Air Department for a regular airship service between Germany and the United States, beginning experimentally next summer. Negotiations are also progressing with Dutch air authorities for an airship service between Holland and Dutch Indies.

Eckener is also hoping to negotiate with the British >r Ministry for a Zeppelin service between Europe and British India.