AVIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21599, 21 March 1932, Page 7

AVIATION

CRASH IN MELBOURNE ACTOR SERIOUSLY INJURED (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) MELBOURNE, March 20. (Received March 20, at 8 p.m.) A leading actor, Mr Campbell Copelin, aged 31, was flying solo in a small aeroplane to-day when he crashed from 500 feet. The machine was wrecked and Copelin suffered a fractured spine and other injuries, and is in a critical condition. He was employed by J. C. Williamson, Ltd.

KINGSFORD SMITH,

CRASH FROM LOW- ALTITUDE

SYDNEY, March 20,

(Received March 20, at 7 p.m.)

Air-eommodore Kingsford Smith is still dogged by misfortune. While landing with 12 passengers at Mascot late last night he crashed from a low altitude and the port wheel was smashed. The machine settled on its side and was badly damaged, but the passengers suffered nothing worse than a bad scare. Air-com-modore Kinggford Smith was not hurt.

A FORCED LANDING.

UNDERCARRIAGE OF PLANE SMASHED.

(Peb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 20,

Returning from a pageant the machine ZK-AOT developed engine trouble and made a forced landing at the northern end of the Plimmerton football ground at 4.17 p.m. The pilot, whose run carried '"him into the tussocks and peat, made a good landing, but the undercarriage was smashed. The machine, which was an Avro 504 K, with a Monosuapape rotary engine, was sold by the Air Force last year and is owned by Messrs C. C. Waite, F. Grosser, and Connor, of Wellington. The name of the pilot is not at present available.

ROYAL AIR FORCE. APPRENTICESHIP EXAMINATIONS. v_ (Peb United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, March 20. The next educational examination for apprenticeships in the Royal Air Force (England) will be held about April 30. Applicants should have had three years’ secondary education and must be between 15 and 17 years of age in August. The parents are required to meet all the expenses involved, including the educational and medical examination fees, and cost of the passage. Pay commences from the date of enlistment in England.

MR BERT HINKLER. ATLANTIC FLIGHT PROBABLE. . OTTAWA, March 19. (Received March 20, at 8 p.m.) Mr Bert Hinkler, the Australian flying ace, was a visitor here on Friday. While he maintained silence as to his plans it is known that he came to interview high officials of the Royal Canadian Ait Force aind make arrangements for a passport from the Government. ,

The general impression is that the Australian flyer contemplates a flight across the North Atlantic via the Arctic route.

NORTH ISLAND AIR PAGEANT MOTH PLANE DESTROYED. (Peb United Press Association.) WANGANUI, March 19. Perfectly calm -weather prevailed for the official North Island air pageant, which was held at the Wanganui airport to-day. The attendance was estimated at 10,000. Approximately 40 planes competed. The opening ceremony was performed by the Minister of Public Works (Mr J. G. Coates), who arrived by plane from Wellington. The programme included bombing, landing, height-guessing competitions, stunting by the foremost aviators of the Dominion, and an air derby of 20 miles for A pilots. Spectacular formation flights of all the competing planes over the city opened the pageant. The results w-ere as follow:

Air Derby. Linklater (Western Federation) 1, Penny (Marlborough) 2, Gilkinson (Southland) finished first, but was disqualified for not travelling over the whole course. Landing, A Pilots. —Boys (Hawke’s Bay) 1, Boucher (Auckland) 2, Miss Jane Winstone (Wanganui) 3. Landing. B Pilots. —Smith (Southland) 1, Bolt (Wellington) 2, Mercer (Canterbury) 3. Bombing, A Pilots.—Kirkup (Auckland) 1, Hudson (Otago) 2. Aerobatic Competition, A Pilots.— Archibald (Wellington) 1, Kirkup (Auckland) 2. Meredith (New Plymouth) 3. . Aerobatics Competition, B •Pilots.— M'Gregor (Waikato) 1, Olson (Otago) 2. There was a fortunate escape from injury when a Gypsy Moth plane struck the field and was smashed during the bombing exhibition. The pilot, F. J. M'Donald, of Wellington, and the passenger, Mr Murphy, also of Wellington, were unhurt.