PERILOUS ORDEAL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20989, 28 September 1931, Page 7

PERILOUS ORDEAL.

&ITH FEELS STRAIN

%faints in the air.

v .-lip - it IDKOP OF 2000 FEET. jjCOVEKY OF CONTROL. PBIVAL 'AT CALCUTTA. ' _ Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. /gfceived September 27. 11.55 p.m.) CALCUTTA. Sept. 27. air-Commcdor?/ Kingsford Smith, who j&rfag t0 mako a from to England in the Southern Qflgs Minor, arrived at Calcutta aerolite at 11-50 a.m. to-day. » Tllß airman had altered his itinerary it Rangoon and /had intended to fly from ftetß to Jhansi, a distance of 1280 miles, jfonrever, h° vas compelled to land at Cafcutta owing to fainting attacks while • lepras' crossing/the Bay of Bengal. Paring one of these attacks the aeroelaflß dropped from an altitude of 3000 ft. (U 1000 ft. before the airman recovered control. He obtained refreshments and l0O« brandy at the aerodrome and departed at noon for Allahabad. jlr. Smith proposes to stay at Allahatad to-night and proceed to Jask t<> sorrow. / BAD NIGHT IN BURMA. /' forced landing made. / . longer hops proposed. i . (Recced September 27. 5.5 p.m.) RANGOON, Sept. 27. Air-Commodore Kingsford Smith arrived #t Rangoon at 5.55 p.m. yesterday from Victoria Point, Burma. The airman relamed his journey at 4.15 a.m. to-day, intending to laiid at Jhansi, Central India. Mr. Smith was forced down by the dark and a blinding rainstorm on Friday « 7.15 p.m. on a beach 80 miles south of Victoria Point. There he spent a bad tight. He said he was. disappointed at having been forced down but -was glad & was do worse. He did not enjoy the Sight among unknown perils. Early yesterday morning Mr. Smith got off the beach after heavy work in the sand. Just before taking off he found that the air-screw of his machine was in a bad condition so he had to return to Victoria Point for repairs. He landed there at 7.15 a.m., but though he was Tery tired he left again for Rangoon at 11.30 a.m. • The intrepid flier said he had broken his schedule jbut believed he could pick up the lost time by lengthening each Itage from Rangoon onwards. Therefore he rearranged his itinerary as follows. Ranffoon to Jhansi, about 1280 miles: Jkasf to Jask, Persia, about 1290 miles; to Aleppo, Asiatic Turkey, about 1480 miles,; Aleppo to Rome, about 1370 tniles: Rem® London, about 880 miles. SAFETY OF AIRMAN. RELIEF IN AUSTRALIA. PREVIOUS NEWS OF STORM. (Keceived September 27, 5.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 27. The news of Air-Commodore Kingsford Smith's safe arrival at "N ictoria Point after some hours' absence of information relieved public anxiety. However, the airman's friends declare they never doubted he would surmount any possible temporary setback. I' A message received yesterday- from Alor Star, Federated Malay States, said Mr. Smith had been seen passing Penang. The weather conditions which had been favourable had changed to stormy and the Southern Cross Minor at times was enveloped in dense clouds. It appeared to be climbing above the storm.