AIR FORCE FLIGHT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 8, 7 December 1937, Page 8

AIR FORCE FLIGHT.

A squadron of Royal Air Force flying-boats has lelt England on a history making flight. Primarily tlie crew and their machines are to visit Australia for the sesqui-centenary celebrations, but the long journey in both directions provides an excellent test for the machines and training for the personnel. It will be made by way of an established marine route to Singapore where, after the" flying-boats have been overhauled, the journey to Sydney will be resumed by way of Darwin, Port Bowen, and Brisbane. In February the squadron will complete the circuit of Australia to Derby before saying farewell to- the Commonwealth and returning to England. This is the longest formation flight yet undertaken by the Royal Air Force, and considerable cost is involved. In 1928 Britain sent flying-boats to Australia and back, and in 1931-32 the flying; boat squadron at Singapore dm a 20,000 miles cruise. But the greatest feat of this nature was the flight of 24 Italian seaplanes from the Tiber to the St. Lawrence in July, 1933, in fifteen days, with its ultimate termination at Chicago. There was not a single mishap though the route north across the Alps and Europe to Northern Ireland, and thence by way of- Iceland to America, was hazardous enough, with fogs, low clouds, and bad storms, as well as magnetic disturbances, to impede navigation. The flight evoked world-wide admiration. Two years previously eleven similar Italian flying-boats had flown in formation across the Atlantic from West Africa to Brazil. General Balbo, then Air Minister, organised and commanded the former flight, and received the credit for its brilliant success, though in the naval sense it had but slight significance because everything went according to schedule. Rather was it a demonstration of the ability of his craft to undertake a long journey over unfamiliar seas. New Zealand as well as Australia will take a special interest in the Royal Air Force flving-boats making their way to the Antipodes in formatiQn to register the longest adventure of its kind in the history of this arm of the British Service.