HENDON THRILLS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22149, 1 July 1935, Page 9

HENDON THRILLS

AIR FORCE DISPLAY PILOT'S ESCAPE IN CRASH REMARKABLE MANOEUVRES By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received June 30, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON. June 29 An unintended thrill was given to 500,000 spectators at the Royal Air Force display at Hendon to-day, by Flying Officer IT. U. E. Williams. The airman was burlesquing a beginner's flight and demonstrating how not to fly when his engine stalled and he crashed. Williams unconcernedly climbed from the wreckage uninjured. Some of the world's • fastest aeroplanes and finest pilots participated in amazing aerobatics. Theso included dives by a pilot who sent out radio messages to the crowd describing his manoeuvres as lie swept down. Also there was an aerial drill, carried out with the precision of a Guards' parade, mass parachute drops and up-side-down flying. .The ground exhibition comprised the most modern service aeroplanes, including the robot machine, the Queen Bee. A rehearsal of the display was held yesterday in the presence of a large party of school children. The precision with which the events succeeded one another was one of the proudest achievements of the display, and the programme was strictly adhered to. For example, six huge flying-boats from Felixstowe arrived over the aerodrome precisely to time. Another event demanding nice timing and high efficiency was that of discharging 16 parachutes on to the aerodrome from two Virginia aeroplanes. The schedule allowed only five minutes for them to make their approach, drop their parachutes from a height of 1000 ft. and take their way leisurely out of the arena. The authorities were completely satisfied with the way in which the widely varied events were fitted into the rigid time-table.