ROYAL AIR FORCE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 9 April 1934, Page 5

ROYAL AIR FORCE

LONG-DISTANCE FLIGHT TOUR OF THE EAST (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, (ith April. A flying-boat squadron which left Singapore early this week is engaged on a cruise which will last about live weeks and will include halts of a week in Manila, the Philippines, and ten days in Hong Kong. This will he the first time that a Royal _ Air I'orco squadron has visited United States territory. Tile flight is being made by members of 205 Squadron, which made many long-distance formation flights. In* 1927-28 it made a cruise of 28,000 miles, and in 1032 made another cruise of 20,000 miles to its credit. It is equipped with Southampton twin-engined flying boats, which have proved of great value in flights where there are no natural landing giminds and the preparation of aerodromes is eostlv and difficult. On Hie way to the Philippines, where three calls are to bo made, the flying boats will alight at Sibu, in Borneo, and after a visit to Hong Kong they make their way to flic Federated Malay States by way of the Portuguese possession Macao and three ports in French liulo-China. The last call before returning to the base at Singapore wil be Koda Balireuin. in the Federated Malay States. The longest section of the trip is between the Philippines and Hong Kong, a distance of 500 miles over open sea.