MOIR AND OWEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20242, 30 April 1929, Page 11

MOIR AND OWEN.

AIRMEN REACH EGYPT.

REPAIRED BIPLANE TESTED.

Australian Tress Association—United Service (Received April 20, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, April 23. Flying-Officers Moir and Owen have arrived at Aboukir, 13 miles from Alexandria, Egypt, on a trial flight from Mersa Matruh, on tho north coast of Africa. They had been stranded there for a month.

Flying-Officers Owen ant] Moir last year accompanied Captain Frank Hurley from Australia in tho monoplane Spirit of Australia, on an attempt to fly (o England and back. They crashed near Athens at the end of November. Subsequently they concluded lengthy negotiations with British manufacturers (Vickers, Limited), and obtained an all-British machine in which to fly back to Australia. They started from Lympne, Kent, on March 18. Flying via Marseilles and Rome they reached Malta on March 20 and Benghazi, on the north coast of Africa, on March 21. Next day while en route to Rnmleh, five miles east of Alexandria, the airmen made a. forced landing at Mersa Matruh owing to engine trouble, which occurred shortly after they had started on their intended non-stop flight of 1000 miles from Benghazi. Damage was done to one wing tip, and also to the undercarriage, and both had to be replaced. That operation was carried out on Saturday. The fliers hope to be able to resume their journey to Australia to-morrow.

The machine being used is of all-metal construction and from a technical point of view is regarded as one of the most interesting aircraft produced in recent times. It has a wing span of 76ft., a length of 51ft., and a height over all of 20ft. It weighs 45501b. and has carried a load of 49501b., making a total weight fully loaded of 95001b. It was built as a freight carrying machine and was purchased by tho Air Ministry. Vickers fitted a new Armstrong-Siddeley Jaguar engine of 460 h.p. Machines of this type are about to be introduced on the Imperial Airways' London-to-Paris route. It is a considerable improvement on the type used by Sir Alan Cobham on his Australian flight. The biplane lias a geared propeller which permits it to run slower than the engine. It has a speed of more than 100 miles an hour at a height of 5000 ft. and a cruising speed of 80 to 85 miles an hour. It consumes about 20 gallons of petrol an hour. Vickers carried out a few special alterations for the purpose of the Australian flight. They installed three petrol tanks, two in the wings, holding 81 gallons each, and a large one in tho fuselage, holding 350 gallons, a total capacity of 512 gallons. There is also a bed with a pneumatic mattress so that the pilots may be able to rest when in (lie air. There is a brilliant electric light in the cabin ceiling. The electricity is supplied by a battery charged from tho generator. There is a six-gal-lon tank of drinking water and a spare propeller is carried. Duralumin is cmploved throughout. Tho pilot's seat can bo raised or lowered. When raised a remarkable view is given, as the pilot is well above the engine. The machine is equipped with every conceivable aid to navigation, including a Vickers-Reid turn indicator, in addition to a full set of illuminated night-flying instruments and navigation lights. Should it be desired to occupy the whole available load with petrol, the machine would have a flying range of considerably over 2000 miles.