FLYING ROUND BRITAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15390, 27 August 1913, Page 9

FLYING ROUND BRITAIN.

PROGRESS OF AUSTRALIAN,

EUCALYPTUS AS MASCOT.

96 MILES IN 90 MINUTES.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright.

(Received August 26, .11.15 p.m.)

London, August 26. The Australian airman, Hawker, who is competing for the Daily Mail's prize of £5000 for a flight round England in order to test the quality of British engines, started yesterday morning in excellent weather. Warned by his earlier experiences, he protected his eyes and ears, and is now enduring the strain well. He carries a mascot of Australian eucalyptus leaves, an Australian lady's gift. Airman Has to Descend. To-day he flew from Plymouth to Scarborough, 390 miles, in 9h 13m, exclusive of stoppages of 2h lm at Ramsgate and Margate. After resuming his flight, however, from Scarborough towards Aberdeen, he was compelled to descend near Seaharn Harbour owing to engine troubles. Examination proved that a water pipe was leaky. This was repaired and the aviator restarted at great speed. He passed Tynemouth at a height of 1000 ft, and anchored at Beadnell for the night. The airman reached Beadnell at half-past seven, his actual flying so far occupying 10 hours 23j minutes. He experienced fog at Netley and haze at Ramsgate, where he was travelling steadily, The waterplane volplaned down gently at this point, and broke the water outside the harbour. Big crowds were present on both piers. Crowds on the Cliff Tops. The breeze was light and the machine moved slowly along the water, then sped forward and upward to the north. The stage of 96 miles to Yarmouth was completed in 90 minutes. Brilliant weather prevailed at Scarborough, and there were enormous crowds on the cliff tops. One hundred and fifty miles were covered in 185 minutes. Many gusts were encountered along this part of the coast, one minute the waterplane being at a height of 3000 ft and the next down to 500 ft. McLean' retirement was due to trouble with the radiator.

Hawker, who uses a Sopwith hydroaeroplane, holds the British height record of about two and a-half miles, made with a Sopwith machine, and the British duration record of 8h 23m. ,; l ,