GRAF ZEPPELIN.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 223, 21 August 1931, Page 7

GRAF ZEPPELIN.

CRUISE OVER BRITAIN. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Aug. 19. The Graf Zeppelin completed her 24-hour tour of Britain when she landed at Hanworth at seven o’clock today and disembarked her passengers. Previously there had been some doubt as to the possibility of landing under the gusty conditions, and she had circled over London for nearly an hour, but the operation was carried out without a hitch. The craft remained for about half an and Dr. Eckener received Sir John Simon on board and showed him the equipment of the control cabin. Shortly before eight o’clock the great airship rose from the ground, and, heading for Central London, started her homeward journey to Friedrichshaven. The trip “round Britain” of 1000 miles was confined to England and Ireland, as adverse weather reports prevented Dr. Eckener from visiting Glasgow and Edinburgh as he had intended.

In passing over Hull at noon, Dr. Eckener dipped the Zeppelin as a salute to the memory of the men of tli© airship R3B, which blew up over tiro River Humber.

Tho Under Secretary for Air, Mr Montague, welcomed Dr Eckener and tho officers and crew of the Graf Zeppelin when tho craft arrived in England. Ho congratulated them on tho progress of tho Zeppelin, and expressed _ his appreciation of the assistanco which had already been given by Dr Eckener and Ac willing help offered for the future in the cause of British airship developfnent. On behalf of his English friends and admirers, Dr Eckener was presented with an inscribed gold box. Dr Eckener expressed his opinion fTiat a complete system of international cooperation was essential to airship development.