AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 20 April 1933, Page 8

AVIATION

AUSIHALIA TO AMERICA

PRIZE FOR BIG AIR FLIGHT.

SYDNEY, April 13,

Apparently tile appetite of Australia aviators tor adveutii.ro is quite insatiable fiio latest project is a flight from Australia to America via Honolulu, to emulate Kingsford Smith’s Pacific crossing in 1928.

The Southern Maori, a plane of tne same type as the Southern Cross, is being refitted and equipped with new American engines for the trip. The party will consist of Him, - woo was with Smithy in 1928, and a- ter wards ■lew with him to- New Zealand; “Scotty” Allen, who started recently for Europe with the German aviator Pertram; Captain Taylor, who navigated for •‘Smithy” on the last Tasman flight; and a wireless operator. Kingsford Smith has stated that there is no reason why the trip .should not he a sms cess; hut, of course, it will require that careful preparation which soenis to be file secret of successful flying.

GraA Competition.

Tins principle, on which “Smithy” .nt a ...W„y a 1... U stress, applies wry aumigiy lo the great competition hr .Hum so .spic.iii.iiu api iat; lias oeen ot,civil uy l3 u- amcrticrson ivoueiiSfii.

Australia is, intiecU, li-ruinate m possessing a punne Oeiielactor at once so .. uaiLiiy aim so liUiiiinceirt,. It course cuo Melbourne confectionary millioiiui.e t aii arioiti these luxuries, lor he refused jC_,O.;U,».OU hi casn lor his fmsilio.s.s some, t.ine ago. btill, as lie started his career in Fitzroy about 18<5 witn a tin pannikin and a nailcan for “plant,” he siiould understand tne value of money. Put this has not deterred Inin from offering £fl>,tA> for a London to Australia- flight, and increasing the gift this week by another L'dUOu to be divided up in consolation prizes. Of course, the whole world of aviators is tremendously excited over this magnificent opportunity, and evmybody who cun afford a machine that may have the least chance of getting through and has the necessary experience, may he expected to enter. As Major de Havilland said, when consulted about the race this week, .there will need to be some restrictions in regard to the suitability and airworthiness of machines. And as Kingsford Smith has remarked, all intending competitors will do wen to take warning that any attempt at such a feat without tile most careful preliminary preparation will mean disaster.

“Smithy’s” Warning.

Already plans are being drafted for linking up the five or six aerodromes fixed upon to mark the stages of the flight and to provide lor refuelling. Put more than this is needed, and “Smithy” did well to recall to the younger and less experienced flying men the -terrible tragedy of the Dole flight from San Francisco to Honolulu in 19z7, when ten lives were lost through starting the race too precipitately and without siuTicient preliminary organisation. Of course “Smithy” hSmself wfill want to compete*if he can get a suitable machine such as- the Lockhead-Orion, which was flown across Australia by an American film magnate in a few hours last year, and crashed at Victoria Fall.f later on. Put such a machine, capable of 220 miles an hour or more, costs at least £SOOO, and even for the chance of winning £10,003 it would be an expensive luxury. In the meantime, as the race is not to start till October, 19114, the ambitious airmen have more than a year to think it over. We can he sure that Australians will he among the. -starters; for this country has already gained big honours in the field of aviation.

Australian Born

Speaking of Australian air heroes it may be as well to remind readers that Ai ■-Commodore Fellowes, who lias charge of the air operations at Mt. Everest just now and has directed all the Sights over “the roof of the world,” is an Australian by birth. Fellowes was horn at St. Kilda,- Melbourne, was trained for the Navy, was invalided but enlisted again, and learned to fly in 1915. He received bis D.S.O. for bis gall ant action in bombing the lock gate s at Zee.brugge dining the memorable attack on St. George's Day. Since then he has attained the highest rank in the British Air Forces, and ten years ago—when over forty and still lame from wounds—he. performed valuable service in Western Asia by preparing the Cairo to Baghdad route, since taken over by Imperial Airways. Australians have earned honour for themselves and renown for their country in every form of warfare in which they have engaged, by land or sea, but the air may yet prove to lie the element in which they will win the highest and the most enduring fame.