AERO CLUB PAGEANT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20491, 17 February 1930, Page 11

AERO CLUB PAGEANT.

DISPLAY IN CANTEBBURY,

LARGE CROWDS THRILLED*

WELLINGTON WINS DERBY.

BOMBING AND AEROBATICS.

[BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRI3TGHURCH, Sunday.

Attracted by the thrills of flying, thousands of people attended the Wigram Aerodrome yesterday to see the first Canterbury air pageant, under the auspices of the Canterbury Aero 'Club. Thirty machines were drawn, up on the ground in front' of the hangars. The weather in the morning was not favourable. There was not very, much wind but the clouds hung low and - spoiled visibility /or the spectators. In the afternoon the mist camo down within 400 ft. of ths ground, making flying more difficult arid the visibility from the ground very poor. The formation flying, scheduled for 12.30' p.m., had to be postponed. Soon after one o'clock the weather showed signs of improving, but the visibility remained poor. It was decided, however, to go on with the programme as arranged. Hundreds of motor-cars were on the ground by two . o'clock, whsn the afternoon events were timed to commence, there were about 10,000 people present, with more Arriving all the tims. A display of aerobatics given early in the afternoon thrilled the onlookers. Flying light aeroplanes, the pilots went through their manoeuvres at low altitudes. The most spectacular item of the display was low looping by Mr. H. Armstrong. Flying at about 300 ft, above the ground, he looped perfectly, making the crowd gasp at the way in which the machine answered his control. . All the pilots did side-rolls, flick-rolls and loops in a manner that was thoroughly entertaining to the public. Keen disappointment was expressed on all sides when it became known that Mr. F. C. Chichester and his now famous Moth aeroplane were weather bound at Blenheim. The officials subsequently, announced that as some compensation for the disappointed spectators the club would hold a special exhibition free at a later date. When a start was made with the heats of'the Wigram Derby visaljility was much better and the spectators had a good view of thp whole of the race. The course was a straight one of about five miles altogether, the turn being made in the vicinity of the Addington Showgrounds. The results were:—

WIGRAM AERIAL DERBY, For Light Aeroplanes; Five Miles. First Heat. F. D. Mill (Auckland), Moth .. , v 1 N. S. R. Bloomfield (Auckland), Moth 2 N. G. Chandler (Marlborough), Moth 3 T. W. White (Hawke's Bay), Spartan 4 The start was a good one, the machines getting away together, although White was a little behind the others. Mill took charge at the half distance and, gaining on the turn, came in 200 yds. ahead of Bloomfield, with Chandler in close at tendance. Mill's time was 3m 555. Sacond Heat. M. C. McGregor (Hamilton), Moth .. 1 J. M. Buckeridge (Dunedin), Spartan 2 G. A. Stqdman (Wellington), Spartan 3 R. W. Norman (Canterbury), Avian . 4 McGregor had a misfortune when getting into position. Just when he had started taxi-ing into place the wing of his machine came into collision with a New Zealand Airways Spartan. The wing of the Moth was damaged and could not be repaired in time. The propeller of the Spartan was split and necessitated a new one being fitted. McGregor took over, a Canterbury Club Moth. Buckeridge and McGregor got well away, but McGregor made ground on the turn, which he took beautifully, and came in with a decisive though not a wide margin. His time was 3m 355.

Third Heat. G. B. Bolt (Wellington), Moth 1 N. H. Barlow (Canterbury), Moth . 2 W. S. £arke (Wellington), Monocoupe 3

In a very close finish Bolt just managed to get in ahead of Barlow. The winner's time was 3m 425.

derby; final., Bolt' . (Wellington), Moth ma 1 McGregor (Hamilton), Moth r .-.- r .*j 2 Miss Arona Clifford (Canterbury), Spartan i.. kV i.,.j i.,.j 3 Mill (Auckland), Moth r«r.i r-;«j r««f .4 Miss Clifford flew the Spartan that was damaged earlier in the day. Afc the finish there was 30yds between the first .and second, with the third 50yds away. The fourth machine was 50yds behind the third. Time, 3m 345. Mill got away badly, and Bolt retained the-lead he secured in the take-off.

The most conclusive - win in the heats was that of Mill, whose coupe Moth, with its streamline cowling over the cockpit, seemed to have superior speed. The pilots in the Spartans were generally not as well able to make the turn at high speed as the Moths. One of the novelty events of the afternoon was, the all-transport race, in which the pilots competed three at a time. They had to run 50yds, bicycle 50yds, fly round a mark, 'and to a mark, run 50yds, cycle again, and then push wheelbarrows home. The first three were Buckeridge, White and Chandler. Superior speed on his cycle gave White a slight advantage, and this ho kept all the way. Buckeridge, in bringing his machine to a stop, slewed it round as he jumped out, and Chandler had 1,0 swerve expertly to avoid a collision. The next heat was contested by Norman, Barlow and Bloomfield. Barlow was easily the best away, and gained • all the time, with Bloomfield next. Barlow and Norman , both overshot the mark in landing, and the heat was won by Bloomfield. The third heat was won by McGregor, who just got in in front of Bolt, with Stedman third; The result of the final was:—

ALL-TRANSPORT RACE. White ta*i !•:« t»tfl tea n a 1 Bloomfield r.>j r»:«j i*m- t»>i 2 McGregor r.- r.-.j &t«! _ t.w t.ra 3 Other results were:—

LANDING COMPETITIONS. Club-trained Men Pilots. D. E. Grigg (Canterbury) h>, 1 R. S. Taylor (Canterbury) RM CO] 2 Women Pilots. Miss P. Bennett (Marlborough) nr 4 1 Non-club-trained Pilots. G. B. Bolt c>! t.» i.m r.-«i 1 M. C. McGregor i.M (• •! (•;•! It» 2 SLOW RACE, One Mile. G. B. Bolt '•'•1 '• •' PTSI flfl 1 BOMBING COMPETITION. N. H. Barlow .... .. .. r. M 1