A CLOSE THING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 102, 11 April 1933, Page 7

A CLOSE THING

MISHAP TO ’PLANE last-minute recovery. PILOT’S NARROW ESCAPE. By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. (Received 11, 10.30 a.m.) LONDON, April 10. When rehearsing re-fuelling for the non-stop flight to Australia, Sir Alan Cobham’s eo-piiot, Squadron - Leader Helmore, lowered a rope as a preliminary to lowering the petrol pipe Holmore’s mechanic lost his grip on the rope, which twisted itself round the tail, causing the machine to hang for a minute nose downwards while Helmore struggled with the controls. Then the rope snapped and the machine dropped like a stone until 300 feet from the sea. After a very narrow escape Helmore regained control and flew to the aerodrome. MISS BATTEN'S PROGRESS. '(Received 11, 10.30 a.m.) NAPLES, April 10. Miss Batten, the New Zealand girl, who is flying from England to Australia, departed for Athens. AN ITALIAN CLAIM, SPEED OF OVER "439 MILES AN HOUR. (Received 11, 12.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 10. Warrant-Officer Agello, of the Italian Air Force, is reported to have attained an average speed in three attempts over a measured mile at Lake Garda exceeding 439 miles an hour. If this is substantiated it will beat Stainforth’s world record of 408 miles an hour. Agello is the only survivor of a little band of heroes, five of whom have been killed m attempting to wrest the record from Britain. Agello flew a Macchi plane with a 2800 horse-power engine and two propellers revolving in opposite directions. RECORD OFFICIALLY CLAIMED. (Received 11, 1.25 p.m.) LAKE GARDA, April 10. Italy has officially claimed the record. The Air Ministry announces that Agello averaged 426.5 miles an hour on his flights. The highest speed was 432.8 miles an hour. The Air Ministry permitted Agello’s attempts as the Macchi, with a Fiat engine, .although not completed in time for the Schneider Cup race in 1931, later reached unprecedented speeds. Italy is now perfecting a new machine of greater fineness and power to re-attack the record. It is recalled that. Agello twice narrowly escaped death through crashing in Lake Gardo during the Macchi trials.