AIRWOMAN'S FEAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22517, 7 September 1936, Page 9

AIRWOMAN'S FEAT

FLIGHT ENGLAND-NOVA SCOTIA FORCED LANDING MADE NO INJURIES SUFFERED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received September (>, <(.85 p.m.) LONDON, Sept. 5 An English airwoman, Mrs. Mansfield, Markham, of Kenya, has won the distinction of being the first woman to fly across the Atlantic solo from east to west. With Mr. Arthur Gargett as a companion, Mrs. Markham left the Abingdon aerodrome, Berkshire, at 6.50 p.m. (summer time) yesterday. Twenty-four hours and a-half later she made a. forced landing at Euline,

Nova Scotia, 10 miles from Louisburg.

Despatches from Louisburg state that although Mrs. Markham was anxious to proceed to New York in a special aeroplane sent for her, fatigue overcame her on her arrival there from tie remote spot where her machine "Messenger" crashed, and she went to bed, postponing the journey until tomorrow. Machine Almost Wrecked Although the aeroplane was almost totally wrecked, the airwoman suffered only minor injuries, mostly scratches on the face, one of which required stitching. Head winds, rain and fog and generally bad weather held ddwn the speed of the machine over »the 2700 miles flight. Shortage of petrol made the forced landing necessary 800 miles from Mrs. Markham's goal—New York —and the muddy condition of the farm on which 6he attempted to land caused the accident. The aeroplane was a Percival Gull. It carried petrol calculated to give a range of 3800 miles at 150 miles an hour. The airwoman was bidden farewell by a few friends at Abingdon. She had the benefit of a full moon in the early stages of the flight. The heavily-laden machine narrowlv cleared the aerodrome at the take-off. It carried no radio. Husband and Son Delighted

The airwoman's husband, who was motoring from his home at Hurst Green, Sussex, with his 6on, aged seven, to occupy the time pending the receipt of news of his wife, was delighted to hear of her arrival in Nova Scotia. His excitement was shared by his son, who was just able to appreciate the significance of his mother's achievement.

Messrs. Richman and Merrill, the two | Americans who recently flew across thv Atlantic from west to east, described Mrs. Markham's flight as a very fine one. Previously they had expressed astonishment at Mrs. Markham s departure,. especially without radio, as the weather bureau had reported that the condition were unfavourable. Mrs. Markham, who is 33 years old. is a society woman whom Mr. Campbell Black taught to fly in Kenya. Subsequently 6he flew in the East African air mail service. She has had more than 2000 hours' flying experience. She believes in the future of the Atlantic air service, and before her departure she said she wanted to be in at the beginning. Hers was not a romantic adventure. AMERICAN FLIERS ARRIVAL AT CROYDON FRIENDS' INFORMAL WELCOME LONDON, Sept. 4 Only a few personal friends welcomed the American Atlantic fliers, Messrs. R. Merrill, a noted American commercial pilot, and Harry Richman, a vaudeville artist, on their arrival at Croydon this afternoon from Llwyncelyn, Wales, where they were forced down after their flight from New York. The Air Ministry was not represented. It was the most informal welcome in the annals of transatlantic flying. Heavy rain contributed to the dreariness. The airmen hurried to shelter, Mr. Richman snapping over his shoulder in reply to a question about their return flight, "We are going when the weather is favourable." Later it was stated that conditions were unfavourable for an immediate return. Mr. Richman explained that 10,000 ping-pong balls were packed into the wings of their machine, He said they weighed 301b. and would support a weight of 7601b., representing the greatest practicable flotation power. He contrasted this with the flotation gear weighing 7001b. used in British and American naval aircraft.