TASMAN AIR RACE

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1945, Page 8

TASMAN AIR RACE

SYDNEY, Feb. 14. Captain D. Teel, a R.A.F. Transport Command Liberator pilot, yesterdav won a trans-Tasman air race from'Auckland to Sydney by half an hour. It was his sixth outstanding flight during the past month. Yesterday his plane defeated two other R.A.F. Transport Command Liberators after having conceded them five and ten minutes’ starts respectively. Teel’s plane flew the 1350 miles between Auckland and Sydney :n six hours fifty minutes. A cross wind spoiled his chance of setting a new record. The other two Liberators had flown from America after having been delayed by bad weather. Teel’s Liberator had been to New Zealand on a special mission for the C'om-mander-in-Chief of the British Pacific Fleet, Admiral Fraser. It had flown to Auckland thirteen New Zealand officers and a rating of the Navy. These men were having their first home leave in four years. Captain Teel recently has been making special flights in the Pacific. Last week he returned with Admiral Fraser from New Zealand, after which his plane was to go to its Montreal base. But someone informed Admiral Fraser that thirteen New Zealanders in the British Pacific Fie-;; were homesick. Sir Bruce made arrangements for Teel’s Liberator to make a special round trip. The New Zealand officers were flown home for early breakfast in Auckland on Monday,, and yesterday the Liberator flew back with Australians returning from leave. Later in the week Teel and his crew will, make a fresh start for Montreal.