“MYSTERY PLANE.”

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 276, 26 October 1925, Page 7

“MYSTERY PLANE.”

PILOT’S NARROW ESCAPE

VANCOUVER, Oct 24

Captain Henry Baird, the pilot of Britain’s so-called, “mystery ’plane,”, the Super-marine Napier 5.4, which was completely wrecked during the preliminary to the navigability. trial ill connection with the Jacques Schneider international seaplane trophy, was wearing a lifebelt and cleared the wreckage as it sank. A brother pilot, Captain Hubert Broad, tossed a second lifebelt from his ’plane, after which a patrol boat rescued Baird, who was dazed and unable to explain the occurrence. Captain Baird is now in bed. Tho doctors fear that pneumonia will insult. Ho had been ill for several days, and only left his bed daily to fly lor a few minutes. —A. and N.Z. cable. INTERNATIONAL RACE. SUBSTITUTE MACHINE FAILS. VANCOUVER, Oct. 25. A message from Baltimore states that Bert Hinkler, of Melbourne, reserve pilot of the British Schneider Cup team, will ho given a chance to take his Gloster-Napicr seaplane into the international race on Saturday. When five opposing American and Italian j>ilots signed a petition asking that lie be allowed to qualify before the race, Referee Ericson agreed. If Hinkler qualifies his ’plane will be substitute for the Super-marine Napier 5.4, which crashed oil Friday. A later Baltimore message announces that the Schneider race has been postponed until Sunday owing to stormy weather.

Bert Hinkler failed to qualify oil Saturday owing to liis engine stalling, thus frustrating tho British plan to secure. a substitute for the crashed machine.—A. and N.Z. cable.