SCHNEIDER CUP RACE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20343, 26 August 1929, Page 11

SCHNEIDER CUP RACE.

ITALY'S ILL-FORTUNE.

PILOT KILLED IN CRASH.

POSTPONEMENT REQUESTED. NOT ALLOWED BY RULES. Australian Press Assacintion—United Service (Received August 25, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. Auk. Ot. A message from Home records that the third Italian entrant for the Schneider Cup race met with disaster at Desenzano, on the Lake of Garda. The 1800 horse-power seaplane Manchi 67, reputed to have been Italy's fastest machine, crashed and was totally wrecked.

Captain Motta, tho pilot, was killed. He was flying at a speed of 354 miles nn hour when he crashed. That time is believed to" be the unofficial world's record.

The machine dived from a height of 300 ft. and struck the lake with terrific force.

Motor-boats were rushed to the scene, but there was no traco of the pilot's bod v.

Further tests are being feverishly carried out. It is expected that Italy will still be able to enter three machines for the cup. However, Italy mado an official request that the race should be postponed for a month in order to cnablo her to complete other machines now in factories. It is recalled that the Americans gianted Italy a postponement in 1926. The committee of the Aero Club, however, states that on receipt of the request the Italian attache was informed that the rules of tho International Aeronautical Federation do not allow the club to postpono a contest once the entries have been received.

It is authoritatively explained that a postponement would involve a tremendous dislocation of plans and that enormous expense would lie incurred by the Admiralty and the railway and shipping companies.

Meteorological exports advise that the race would bo virtually impossible after September.

DESCRIPTION OF EVENT.

BROADCAST ARRANGED.

POSSIBLE FOREIGN RELAYS. British Wirelc?s. HUG BY. Aug. C 3. A wind and a rough sea to-day prevented flying practice at f alshot in tho seaplanes which arc to compete for tho Schneider Cup. Air-Marshal Sir Hugh Trench aid visited Calshot and inspected the machines. Great regret was expressed by the airmen there at the tragic death of Captain Giuseppe Motta, of the Italian team. Arrangements have been made by the British Broadcasting Corporation to broadcast by wireless a running commentary on the race from Ryde, Isle of Wight. The official lap times and a summary of (he positions of the competing machines will be given at frequent intervals and the final result will be broadcast.

The right to rcbroadcast or to make use of the transmission in other ways has been offered through the International Broadcasting" I. nion at Geneva to foreign broadcasting authorities and the possibility of broadcasting a translation of the description is being considered by he broadcasting organisations in Italy, France and Germany.