ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA AIR RACE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 4408, 23 October 1934, Page 2

ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA AIR RACE.

SCOTT AND BLACK REACH •DIARWIN IN 52 HOURS.

ONE MACHINE CRASHES: TWO DEAD. Scott and Black in a De Haviland Co'miet machine, were the first competitors in the England-Aus-tralia Melbourne Centenary air race, to reach Australian soil. They landed at Darwin at 8.38 p.m. vesterday, local time, 52 hours 40 minutes-rfifter leaving Mildonhall.

Next in order in the great eontest are the Dutchmen, Parmentier and Moll, in the Douglas air liner. The two Americans, Roscoe Turner and Clyde Panghorn, in their Boeing Transport, lost time by becoming lost in the darkness when making for Allahabad, but were last seen at Victoria Point, making for Singapore.

After making fast time to Karachi, the Mollisons experienced a series of set-hacks and are now definitely out of the race owing to engine trouble. Their time to Karachi was 22 hours 10 minutes, against the previous record of 50 hours. They were then leading and had a good chance of winning. Asjes and Gevsendorffer in their Pander Jager wore the fourth to arrive at Baghdad, ami made good progress 1" Karachi. In landing at Allahabad, however, they had the misfortune to crash through the retractable undercarriage failing to open. The pilots were uninjured.

Of the New Zealand entrants, McGregor and Walker have arrived at Bagdad and ITewett and Kay left there at fi.23 a.m. New Zealand I imo.

Scott and Black experienced an anxious time over the Timor Sea. Their port, engine gave out hut they made Darwin safely on one engine. They effected temporary repairs and continued with the least delay for Charlevillo. They arrived there safely. They have now set out on the last leg of the journey, the 780 miles to Melbourne, which they should reach this evening. They are now in direct touch with their destination and their first message at noon stated that they were tired hut happy and were just enjoying a bottle of beer. They were averaging only 110 miles per hour instead of 220 miles per hour and it seemed as if their port motor had failed again. However, they anticipated making Melbourne all i iglit. Parmentier and Moll, left Darwin at 11.38 a.m. New Zealand time and it is not considered likely that they will overtake Scott and Black now unless they arc forced down.

Gilman (Britain) and Baines (t» Now Zealander) flying a Fairev Fox in both handicap and speed events, have crashed and both airmen have been burned to death. No details are available.