AVIATION

Grey River Argus, 26 November 1935, Page 3

AVIATION

CLIPPER PLANE. HOP TO MIDWAY. (Ans and N.Z. Cable Assn.) HONOLULU, November 24. The five-ton China Clipper plane of the Pan-American Airways, which, on Saturday, left Frisco with a perfect start on th P first pay load flight to Manila via Hawaii, Midway, Waka and Guam Islands, is to leave here today for Midway Island. Her full route is 7,978 miles, taking >ixty hours. Fourteen passengers, all PanAmcrican employees, from Honolulu will be taken to mid-Paciflc bases. Their arrival was delayed, due to , changing their course, to view the eruption of t*he volcano in Maunaloa Island, Hawaii. Army and Navy ’planes escorted the Clipper to the landing. Thousands of spectators, including Government officials, greeted th-e ’plane. Meanwhile-, a sister to the PhilTippin&s Clipper was winging north to San Diego from Acapualco, Mexico. Captain Musick said: “The trip wa. : uneventful and comfortable. We did not try to set a speed record.” The ’plane brought a hundred thousand pieces of mail, weighing nearly two tons, to Honolulu and ports beyond. The passenger service will not’ start until after five trans-Pacific flights, the fir. t. three to Manila, and the next ’wo extending to Macao. Their arrival makes Honolulu the futfure huh of the Pacific, the air travel cross-Toad s of the air line connection of the Unit’ed States and Orient and the United Stat’op and the Antipodes. The Clipper crew were given a typical Hawaiian welcome, /decorated with garland* nf flowers. A third ’plane will soon he ready for service. PLANE REACHES MIDWAYS (Received November 25, at 9 p.m.) MIDWAY ISLANDS, November 24. The China Clipper ’plane landed here )at 9.91 p.m. New York time, completing the 1,323 mile flight from Honolulu in slightly under ninp hours. SEARCH FOR SMITH FLAMING PLANE REPORTED. PENANG. November 24. Tt is reported that a native on the Setal border of Siam and Malaya -saw

a ’plane crash in flames in the mountains. SINGAPORE, November 24. In reference to the Penang message, to-night, an R.A.F.. ’plane searched the area, with no success, and will resume to-morrow. ; Mplrose fis returning to Australia on Tuesday. SINGAPORE November 24. The stationmaster at Padang Besar, reports that the driver of a Siamese train was told by a woodcutter living at Setal, that he saw a ’plane ehoot up over the hill and drop in flames. Another man confirms that he saw a ’plane flying towards the Setal Mountains, in rain and thunder.