ALTANTIC CROSSED BY ITALIAN SQUADRON

Horowhenua Chronicle, 14 July 1933, Page 7

ALTANTIC CROSSED BY ITALIAN SQUADRON

Great Formation Flying Feat Under Conditions of Greatest Peril GENERAL BALED DESCRIBES GREAT ACHIEVEMENT Received Thursday, 10.20 p.m. LONDON, July 13. A special radio message from General Italo Balbo from Cartwright Bay says: — “We are over the Atlantic —over the North Atlantic this time —and for the aoeond time the Fascist air armadas have demonstrated that oceans can be flown in mass formation. There now remain only the last stages of the journey to Chicago, completing 7000 miles of formation flight and adding further prestige to Fascism. “This formation flight from the old to the new wmrld was conquered to-day under conditions of the greatest peril. Starting off our 24 planes early on W’ednesday from Reykjavik (Iceland) encountered crosswinds. Atmospherical conditions around Iceland, according to all meteorological stations, were to be vexy bad. There w-as low visibility for the first few hours and often we were obliged to fly blind with only the aid of instruments as we skimmed the waters of the Atlantic.

‘ ‘ The had conditions were absolutely against us until abreast of Cape Farewell on the southern tip of Greenland which was passed 50 miles on our right. Then for two solid hours we navigated through wide banks of dense fog. Here we encountered a peril of a very real character in the danger of ice forming on the wings and the metallic propellers. The last 750 miles was flown in real tranquility. “During the first three-fovwths of the flight contrary winds limited our average speed to 124 miles per hour. The fleet was divided into units of three. Entering fog or clouds the formation was altered as previously arranged by widening the formation, the process being controlled by radio goniometers (instruments for measuring angles) aboard each plane, the orders going from group to group. Immediately the plane on each side of the central leader of each ‘V’ described a deviation 45 degrees to the right and'left respectively, then taking up a general course. When emerging from the fog and clouds the planes resumed their original positions. “At Cartwright each unit landed separately in perfect formation, .taking their positions by buoys already prepared and marked. are the guests

of the Hudson Bay Company whose governor in London I thanked for his aid in making the way easier. It is important to point out that this section of the flight has fully confirmed -my theory that mass aerial formation can always fly every course and every route especially with S 5 well-trained men and up-to-date engines as undoubtedly are our Isotta-Fraschini motors. ’ ’ (Copyright by Universal Service, sender King-Features Syndicate, Inc.)