CRASH IN FLAMES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 24 September 1934, Page 5

CRASH IN FLAMES

YOUTH OF NEW ZEALAND FOUR OCCUPANTS DEAD RETURNING AFTER REFUELLING (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) LONDON, 22nd September. Returning from Portsmouth after refuelling . Sir Alan Cobham’s aeroplane, another aeroplane, the Youth of New Zealand, piloted by C. IT. Benbridge, an ex-memher of the Air Force, who was attached to Cobham’s circus, accompanied by three mechanics, crashed in Barnes in Buckinghamshire, and the four occupants were burned to death, i The wreckage was scattered over several acres with the engines a hundred ■yards apart. It was formerly an Imperial Airways liner. The cause of the crash is unknown. SIR ALAN COBHAM A NARROW ESCAPE FLIGHT ABANDONED LONDON. 22nd September. Sir Alan Cobham left Portsmouth at 6 32 o’clock, and refuelled from an air liner 20 miles out to sea, uncoupling eight minutes later. MALTA, 22nd September. Sir Alan Cobham refuelled safely and departed on the second stage when the throttle jammed when several miles over the Mediterranean. He returned to Maltun and made a forced landing. Squadron-Leader Helmore states that lie had a marvellous escape. The ’plane had barely sufficient ceiling to clear the coast when alighting. Sir Alan Cobham, who was previously unaware of the Youth of New Zealand crash, has now abandoned, the flight. '" Sir Alan Cobham and Sauadron-Lead-er Helmore were on a 5200 miles nonstop flight, to India in an ordinary' commercial aeroplane of tile Courier type, which was to be refuelled in the air at four points ell route. The flight was intended as a demonstration of the advantages of the air refuelling system. The machine was to be refuelled from tanker ’planes above Portsmouth, Malta, Alexandria and Basra, the process taking only a minute or so and by the time thus saved it was hoped to reach, Karachi in 48 hours.

R.A.F. FLIERS ON WAY TO MELBOURNE BATAVIA, 22nd September. The three R.A.F. fliers, who are en route to Melbourne for the Centenary, left for Bima at 8.20 a.m. : DEPARTURE DELAYED LONDON, 21st. September. Because his radio tests were incomplete Captain L. S. Brain has postponed his departure from Croydon indefinitely. DEMONSTRATION FLIGHTS IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCES FOKKER AND DOUGLAS (Received 24th . September. 12.10 p.m.) LONDON, 23rd September. .The “Daily Telegraph’s” Amsterdam correspondent says that demonstration flights were made in the Fokker and Douglas ’planes.. The latter, which is the Dutch Airlines entry for the Melbourne air race, carried twenty passengers from Waalhaven to Schiphol, tt distance of 37), miles, in nine minutes, including rising and landing, giving aclear 250 miles hourly. The Fokker, which is intended for the Batavia service, carried thirty-two passengers at a speed of' 175 miles hourly. • MISS jeAnbatten ARRIVAL AT SYDNEY SYDNEY, 23rd September Miss Jean Batten with her plane arrived by the Maungtinui. Miss Batten is spending a holiday in Sydney befoi-o going to Melbourne to be present at the finish of the air race.