MACHINE AND ROUTE ©ESCRIBED

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 15 April 1922, Page 5

MACHINE AND ROUTE ©ESCRIBED

liONßo£[, /April 12. '.The Daily Telegraph interviewed Sir jßoss Smith, who starts his flight round 'the world on the 25th, accompanied by :-Sir Keith Smith asid Lieut. Bennett on ; a pickers Viking j&mphibian in aching iina.de by the same -sv:.or'fcm.esi vwho constructed the Viekeis "Yiniy,, ,o£ ,the Australian flight. The machine is bosit-like in tconstrue■Aion, .-surmounted by & biplane. A 450 )J\o^eTigAwer Napier angiaxe,, stio.un.ted iigh "between the wiags, driving the propeller behind the wings, h%s been tested for endurance aM te.mjiexatures ; and .exposed for long periods aud ini3n.er.sipn jn salt water. The laeding wheels can be lowered in. ninety seconds. A featuj'.e of the m&sUine is .the ttaijl #kids, whieJi also act as .a w.a&.ev • x&d&er, filled, wijh compressed air #&- <fer pressure ,of £501bs. Tfee equipment includes a Beid. ■c.OH' t?(Oj in.dicato.r, wiriek informs the pilot td}£n the machine is listing ; and "Meaxg glow lamps, -which can be used in fog. The tireless set has been tested to aad froni the Eijfel Tower. The aerial, which is between the wings for receiving, is dropped for sending messages. A certain, number of spare parts will be carried and a spare engine will be available at Toiiio. It will take 120 flying houi'3 to reach Tokio, bnt Sir Ross Smith hopes the first engine will carry them to J&orden, Canada. Forty-seven petrol depots fiave been organised. Each airman has «»e suit of clothes and eight pounds* &f luggage. They Avill be able to smoke, thakfes to a special cigarette holder on =«^C the p?ieciple of the Davy lamp. It if the journey of 240 flying