CRUISE BY AIR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21939, 24 October 1934, Page 11

CRUISE BY AIR

CHEERY PASSENGERS ENJOYMENT OF TRIP PARMENTIER'S PARTY " TRAVELLING FOR FUN" By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received October 23. 8,5 p.m.) DARWIN, Oct. -23 Fraulein Rasche, one of Mr. Parmentier's passengers, red-cheeked and plump, talked freely in halting English! throughout a meal in Darwin. She said: " I claim I was the first woman pilot and sea flier in Germany after the war. I love flying. I cannot afford an aeroplane, but am taking this flight for compensation." Another passenger, Mr. Dominique, said: "I have come all the way from Rio de Janeiro. I am travelling on this flight for fun and I am having it." HIGH AVERAGE SPEED 'never at full capacity A RECORD BROKEN ~ SINGAPORE, Oct. 22 Flying at an average (speed of 150 miles an hour for over 7000 miles, including 11 hours on the ground, the giant Dutch air liner piloted by Mr. Parmentier broke all records for commercial long-distance flying when it arrived at Singapore. Messrs. Parmentier and Moll say that the aeroplane has never been flown at top speed throughout the race. NO LONGER COMPETING STACK AND COMPANIONS PARER AND HEMSWORTH ATHENS, Oct. 22. Captain Neville Stack and hi 3 two companions, in their Airspeed. Viceroy, who intimated their withdrawal from the Centenary race after an early misfortune in the north of France, but are continuing "as an amateur entry," left Rome at 9.30 a.m. for Athens, where they arrived at 1.45 p.m. Messrs. R. Parer and GL E. Hemsworth, of the New Guinea Flight Syndicate, who also experienced trouble in northern France, left Le Bourget, Paris, at 8.35 a.m., but had to return 80 minutes later. They abandoned the race, but intend to continue as "tourists." SMALLER AIRCRAFT EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES LONDON. Oct. 22 The performances of some of the (smaller aircraft in the Centenary raco in other circumstances would be regarded as extraordinary, notably that of the New Zealand fliers, Messrs. McGregor and "Walker. They are flying in one of the smallest machines in the race and one of the few in which open cockpits expose the pilots tc the elements. No Australian event has excited such widespread interest in, London as this race. Even' the excitement caused by cricket test matches is easily eclipsed. i ——— BOMBER IN JUNGLE —— A CLEVER LANDING ' SINGAPORE. Oct. 22 The Royal Air Force bomber which was found yesterday in the jungle where it had been forotid down, was cleverly landed in a small clearing miles from civilisation. The occupant* walked to the nearest native village, where they were received by a chief, who sent runners with the welcome news that the occupants were safe. THE WINNING MACHINE PERFECT STREAMLINING BRITISH FIRM'S TRIUMPH > The de Havilland Comets, three of which were specially built for the Centenary air race, are the fastest British civil aeroplanes ever produced, with the exception of the seaplanes prepared for the various Schneider Trophy contests. The victorious machine, flown by •Mr. C. W. A. Scott and Mr. T. Campbell Black, is scarlet, the other two being finished one in gieen and the other in black. Perfection of streamlining was aimed at by the de Havilland designers, who, with the construction staff, worked at high pressure to have the machines ready for the race. The craft are low- ; wing cantilever monoplanes, each driven by two special Gipsy six-cylinder racing engines, and with a range of 2700 miles. ' Everything possible was done in designing the machines to reduce "drag"and to minimise excrescences. From nose to tail the entire structure was polished as smooth as glass to reduce skin friction, while the finish of the wing covering has amazed experts who have examined it. Polished fillets between the main components preserve the flowing lines. The two pilots sit well aft in the fuselage, in a cockpit completely enclosed by means of a streamlined cover. Full dual control equipment is fitted. The machine is quite small, the span of the beautifully-tapered wings being only 41ft., and the overall length 29ft. Novel conditions governed the purchase, the prospective buyers being required to place their orders and pay % deposit of £IOOO without knowing details of either the design or the construction of the machine. They were assured, however, that each Comet would have a maximum speed of at least 200 miles an hour, would comply with the regulations, and would carry a crew of two.-