THRILLS IN THE AIR

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 27 September 1927, Page 7

THRILLS IN THE AIR

HIGH SPEED RACES. UNFORGETTABLE SCENES CONTEST FOR, SCHNEIDER, GUP. 3Y CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. LONDON, Sept. 26.. Hurtling thro ught the air a.t the highest speed man ever attained, Lieut. Webster gained, for Biitaiin the greatest air trophy in the world, amidst an unforgettable scene. It is only 14 years since, France first won the prize with an average speed or 44 miles pec hour, to-day a tiny s uper - marine Napier machine, designed by the chief engineer, Mr. R. J. Mitchell, with floats one-third the size of the body and petrol stored in the, starboard floats, shot through the air at considerably over three hundred miles per hour in the straight stretches, though the average naturally was less. The morning was calm, clear and the sea was like glass. The excitement was intense when the blood-red machines, the royal blue super-marines and the blue bronze (Roster Napier taxied to the starting point. The betting was 6 —5 for England, Lieut. Webster being the individual favourite The cheering was thunderous. First Lieut. Kinnead, with a great roar and in a cloud of spray rose and shot like a bullet into the distance, followed by five others. The air was full of the roaring of engines and red and blue flashes. It was soon evident that the British turning tactics were far superior. Lieut. AVebster in particular controlled his machine, with uncanny genius during the terrific ordeal, banking till perpendicular then swinging round in a sharp, yet graceful sweep. The crowd, not' imagining such daredevilry possible, yelled with excitement. The Italians, on the other hand, lost much time in special mounting turns, shooting rocket-like upwards and descending in enormous swoops. Ferrarini was compelled to descend owing to engine trouble before lie, completed a single lap; then Gennadi, who himself had planned the course, was forced to come down after doing one lap. The next down was Lieut. Kinnead, whose 291 miles for the third lap was the highest average for the whole race.

There were still Lieut. AVebster, Lieut. AVorslev and Guazetti whirling around like the hands of a clock. The greatest thrill of all came when on the longest side of the triangle Lieut. AVebster dashed off in pursuit of Guazetti. For one breathless moment the machines were level; in the next the blue was a quarter of a mile ahead, proving that British engines were immeasurably faster. A little later Guazetti was most unlucky, having to come down after doing six laps, but the triumph of British skill and machinery was complete*. Lieut. Webster had a tremendous reception when the race was over, and the Italians could, not have been more delighted if they had won themselves.