NON-STOP FLIGHT RECORD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19663, 15 June 1927, Page 11

NON-STOP FLIGHT RECORD.

BRITAIN'S NEW ATTEMPT. EARLY START PROBABLE. STORY OF FORMER JOURNEY. DRAMATIC DESCENT IN DARK. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrieht. (Received June 14, 7.53 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, June 13. Flight-Lieutenants Carr and Mackworth will, weather permitting, start to-morrow on their attempt to make a non-stop flight to India. The airmen will use a Hawker-Horsley bombing plane. They will carry their petrol supply in tanks and it will be sufficient for a flight of 4500 milos. This event seems likely to develop into an international flight, as Captain Doisy, the French airman, is to leave Le Bourget, aerodrome, Paris, to-morrow for the same destination. A dramatic account has now for the first time been given of how the British non-stop plane in which Lieutenants Carr and Gillman were trying to fly to India recently fell in the Persian Gulf. They were at the time practically in sight of their goal, and their success would have given the world's record to Britain. The plane fought for tho greater part of the distance against a wind, which did not handicap the Atlantic flyers. In the night, when the airmen were flying across Irak, the plane battled against a head wind. Nevertheless, it was then ahead of its scheduled time. Lieutenant Carr was controlling the machine in the darkness at a great height, while Lieutenant Gillman was asleep. Owing to the intense heat Lieutenant Carr removed his helmet. This, it is believed, caused a slight deafness. A few minutes before the break of dawn Lieutenant Carr reduced the revolutions of the engine in ordor to economise the fuel. The engine developed an unusual note. Lieutenant Carr then awakened Lieutenant Gillman and warned him that he fea/red the engine was failing them. Almost at the same instant the engine ceased. The airmen then commenced a forced descent in the darkness on to the waters of the Persian Gulf. This was skilfully executed, the machine alighting on the water perfectly.