EMPIRE AIRWAYS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21520, 17 June 1933, Page 11

EMPIRE AIRWAYS

NEW MAIL CARRIER REMARKABLE MACHINE HIGH SPEED CAPACITY / MAY FLY TO AUSTRALIA By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Ueceived June lfi, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Juno 10 Britain's fastest air mail carrier, a twin-engined aeroplane, built to the order of tho Air Ministry by Boulton and Paul, Limited, was successfully demonstrated at Norwich. The machine is designed for the Empire routes. It is capable of flying 1000 miles non-stop and of attaining a speed of 150 miles an hour at half throttle, or 200 miles at top speed. Mails may be sorted en route and dropped or picked up without landing. Storage is provided for 10001b. of mail. It is understood that a test flight to Australia is contemplated. The machine, it is said, could reach Capetown in three days and Darwin in less than seven. RACE TO MELBOURNE INTEREST IN ENGLAND / & MORE PRIZES OFFERED (Received Juno Hi. 0.5 p.m.) LONDON, Juno 10 The Daily Express says it understands that since Sir Macpherson Robertson's offer of £15,000 for an air race from England to Australia, others have made supplementary offer of prizes. Keen interest has been aroused throughout the world in the LondonMelbourne air race, to be conducted as part of Melbourne's centenary celebrations. Scheduled to start on October 20, 1934, the entrants will compete for the £15,C00 prize-money donated by Sir Macpherson Robertson, of Melbourne. An 18-carat gold eup for the winner and an 18-carat medallion for every pilot who completes the circuit within 14 days have also been donated. The race will bq open to the whole world and will be divided into two sections, as follows: (a) A championship speed event, the winner of which will receive £IO,OOO and the gold cup, second £ISOO, and third £500; and (b) a handicap event, the winner to receive £2OOO and second £IOOO. The purpose of the handicap is to ensure the entrance of general utility machines in contradistinction to purely speed aircraft, which for commercial purposes would bo more or less useless. Contestants will be required to submit pilots' certificates for their parent countries, and certificates or documentary or other evidence to satisfy an expert committee in Britain that both the pilot and his aeroplane are fit to undertake the race with a minimum amount of risk. It is anticipated that the leaders of the speed section will complete the course in four days or i under.