AIRMAN INJURED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21153, 9 April 1932, Page 11

AIRMAN INJURED.

NOTED AMERICAN PILOT. CRASH IN MASSACHUSETTS. NEW YORK, April 7. A noted speed flier, Captain Frank Hawks, was seriously injured to-day when an aeroplane in which he was flying crashed as he was attempting to take off at the air port at Worcester, Massachusetts. An examination of the pilot by surgeons showed that he had suffered serious contusions and lacerations on the face and fractures of the jaw which may result in facial paralysis. Captain Frank M. Hawks is the holder of the records for non-stop transcontinental flights across the United States in both directions, and of the record for a round-trip flight, also of other American and European records. The skyway between Los Angeles and Long Island has been the scene of Captain Frank M. Hawks' most spectacular flights, but he has engaged in many long flights in the course of the day's work as commercial aviator. Joining the army the airman attained the, rank of captain. His speed in the air caused him to be dubbed the " human bullet." He beat Colonel Charles Lindbergh's record for the flight across the United State with an average speed of nearly 200 mile s an hour. In April, 1931, lie flew from London to Rome (more than 900 miles) in sh. 22m. at an average speed of 174 miles an hour. On the way back lie broke the Paris-London record, covering the distance (218 miles) in 59m., at an average speed of over 220 miles an hour. In June of the same year Captain Hawks again flew from London to Rome and back, averaging 200 miles on hour on the outward trip and 185 miles an hour on the homeward flight. In the interval he had performed the feat of breakfasting in London, lunching in Berlin and dining in Paris on the one day.