AERIAL FEATS

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 280, 27 October 1931, Page 7

AERIAL FEATS

MEMORIAL PLAQUE AWARDED. MR F. C. CHICHESTER HONOURED RECENT' HAZARDOUS FLIGHTS. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegr ap li. • —Copy ri gh t.) Received October 27, 11.45 a.m. LONDON, Oct. 26. The Guild of Air Pilots awarded the Memorial Plaque, in memory of the noted navigator, Squadron-Leader Johnston, a victim of the RlOl disaster, to Mr E. C. Chichester, the New Zealand airman, for the New Zealand to Norfolk-Lord Howe Island flights.

The trophy is for the year’s best feat in civil aerial navigation. All the Empire fliers were eligible, and it is understood that Mr Anderson Scott, Mr J. A. Mollison and Air Commodore lvingsford Smith were considered. .

It has been arranged that the Prince of Wales present the trophy in November, but it is improbable that Mr Chichester will be in England then. The Guild lias cabled SquadronLeader Wilkes, of New Zealand asking for the whereabouts of Mr Chichester. AIRMAN’S CLOSE CALL. STAINFORTH’S COOLNESS. ESCAPE FROM DROWNING. Flight-Lieutenant George Stainforth, of the Royal Air Force, and holder of the world's speed record, was responsible at Calshot on September 16 lor one of the finest exhibitions of cool courage ever recorded. Immediately after escaping death when liis record-breaking seaplane capsized, he was brought ashore to an ambulance, and his first act on landing was to remove liis wrist-watch, and hand it to an aircraftman with the remark: “Put that in paraffin for me, will you?” Then the airman grinned. The trehnendous shock he received and the fight he had under the water to free himself from his tiny cockpit, in which lie had been tightly strapped, had not had the slightest effect on his iron nerve.

Lieut. Stainforth was completing a practice flight in the 6SB machine, and the floats had just touched the water when the mishap occurred. He pressed the rudder bar in order to counteract the tendency that occurs at this point in landing for the machine to dip its port wing. He had to press the rudder bar slightly harder than usual, because of the comparatively slow si>eed. In doing so his heel became wedged temporarily. In the next instant the machine had dived straight down, with its tail high up in the air. The tail remained for a moment in this position, and then the machine turned turtle. And in that moment Lieut. Stainforth remained cool and efficient and switched off his engine. Immediately afterwards all that could be seen were two blue floats on the surface of the water, upside down. Somewhere, imprisoned in the cockpit and strapped down, was Lieutenant Stainforth. Could he escape? Fully a minute went by as spectators watched, and there was no sign of any movement. Then, suddenly, the water was seen to be disturbed at the side of the machine. A few yards away Lieut. Stainforth appeared. He had fought his wav out of his harness and out of the cockpit- and escaped death by a miracle. From all directions speedboats rushed to him. After Lieut. Stainforth had been rescued, an attempt was made to salve the wrecked seaplane. It was towed wrong side up for some distance, but before the air station was reached it stank.