LEAD TO INDIA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21937, 22 October 1934, Page 9

LEAD TO INDIA

MOLLISONS' TRIP RECEPTION AT BAGDAD VAST CROWD PRESENT LANDING AT KARACHI By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received October 21, 6.45 p.m.) LONDON", Oct. 2i A message from Bagdad states that a vast crowd of Arabs and many Britons collected at the air port and cheered the arrival of Mr. and Mrs. Mollison, the first of the air race competitors to land there. Mr. Mollison said that having covered the most difficult stage non-stop he did not anticipate difficulty over the remaining stages. Their Comet had behaved perfectly, although they had been obliged to flj- at a great height to avoid bad weather. The Mollisons arrived at Bagdad with a two hours' supply of petrol left. Engineers inspected the Comet and declared it fit for an immediate resumption and the Mollisons departed at 7.40 p.m. (Greenwich mean time) declaring they were confident they would arrive at Allahabad on Sunday. The condition of the Bagdad aerodrome is excellent. A despatch from Karachi isays the Mollisons arrived there at 10.15 a.m. (local time). Their aeroplane gleamed in the bright sunlight and swooped gently down and made a perfect landing. "Wonderful scenes of excitement were witnessed. Looking quite fit Mrs. Mollison received her greeters with a sunny smile and said: " Our machine has behaved marvellously. We have had absolutely no engine trouble. However the night was very misty." Diffidence concerning their petrol supply made the Mollisons halt at Dright Road aerodrome, Karachi. They said their journey had been quite uneventful apart from facing hea.d winds. COOL DUTCHMAN UNPERTURBED BY TRIP PARMENTIER AT BAGDAD (Received October 21, 8.5 p.m.) BAGDAD, Oct. 21 Mr. K. D. Parmentier, on his arrival at Bagdad, appeared to regard the flight as no more exciting than the usual weekly Amsterdain-Batavia flight. His four passengers looked out on the crowded aerodrome much as passengers in an express train would do when halted at a wayside station. The pilot. had taken 140 gallons of petrol out of the tanks at Aleppo. He was not long filling up again here and at once resumed the flight. DISASTER AVERTED COLONEL ROSCOE TURNER INCIDENT AT BAGDAD (Received October 21, 8.5 p.in.) BAGDAD; Oct. 21 Disaster nearly overtook Colonel Roscoe Turner, Mr. . Clyde Pangborn. and Miss Ruth Nichols when they arrived at Bagdad. Colonel I'urner was uncertain about the landing and circled over the aerodrome. The machine came down with the wind, just clearing an embankment and missing some telegraph wires by inches. . Officials started up the engines of ambulances in order to be ready for a disaster. However, Colonel T'urner skilfully recovered and made a fair landing. The fliers were delayed by mist over Europe. BOMBER MISSING SINGAPORE AIR FORCE SEARCH NOW IN PROGRESS (Received October 21, 11.25 p.m.) SING-AFORE, Oct. 31 A Royal Air Force bomber belonging to the 100 th Squadron, in charge of Flying-Officer Hobler, left for Alor Star this morning in connection with the air race, and now is reported missing. A flying-boat and a flight of bombers are searching. GRAPHIC BROADCAST VARIETY OF MACHINES DUTCH PILOT'S HUMOUR A graphic description of the start of the Melbourne Centenary air race was broadcast on Saturday night from the Empire short-wave station at Daventry and reception in Auckland was excellent. The account was given by Squadron-Leader W. Helmors who had witnessed the departure of the machines from Mildenliall Aerodrome and then had himself flown to Croydon to broadcast later from the studio,3 of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The speaker referred to the disparity Between the sizes of the various machines. The Douglas monoplane, he said, was an enormous thing and the Dutchmen who were flying it, apart from their skill as long distance pilots, apparently were rather famous wits. They knew the route well and one of the other competitors had asked them what they thought would be the most difficult stage of the journey. One of the Dutch pilots had quickly 'replied: " How about that bit between London and Melbourne?" From the huge Douglas, the machines ranged in size down to the tiny Puss Moth in which the. young Australian, Mr. C. J. Melrose, had already made the trip one way and in which everyone hoped he would safely accomplish the return. v .