SCENE ON HARBOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22694, 5 April 1937, Page 11

SCENE ON HARBOUR

ARRIVAL AT PAGO PAGO / * TRIP MADE IN GOOD TIME ' &: Speeding northward into the darkness, the Pan-American Clipper left Auckland before dawn yesterday on the first stage of her return survey flight across the Pacific. She made a perfect take-off in the Rangitoto Channel at 4.1 7 a.m., and landed safely at Pago Pago at 5.1 1 p.m, New Zealand time, making the trip of 1850 miles in 12h54m. Arrangements yesterday morning functioned perfectly. On Saturday morning a combination of weather conditions in the harbour and the time factor prevented the start as planned, and the departure was postponed for 24 hours. With the receipt of favourable weather reports on Saturday night, everything was again placed in readiness to leave, and the crew of eight, accompanied by Mr. Harold Gatty, New Zealand representative of PanAmerican Airways, arrived from their hotel some time before three o'clock and boarded the flying-boat as she was lying at her moorings in Mechanics Bay. Large crowds had gathered on the waterfront, and about 3.30 o'clock they saw the first of the huge propellers turn over. Then, with all four motors running, the Clipper turned and followed her pilot launch down the harbour. The line of boats marking the runway for the take-off had been moored in the Rangitoto Channel, roughly in a line from the Rangitoto Beacon to Bean Rock. After the preliminary inspection of the runway, the crowds on the waterfront heard the four engines of the flying-boat roar into action, and later they saw the grey craft silhouetted against the night sky, and, with fier lights gleaming, circle over the city to gain altitude, and then head off down the Hauraki Gulf, homeward bound. The Clipper is expected to leave Pago Pago for Kingman Reef at dawn to-day.