THE CRAZE FOR SPEED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22023, 4 August 1933, Page 13

THE CRAZE FOR SPEED

LAND, AIR, AND WATER ENGLISH OFFICER’S HOBBIES. (Special to Daily Times.) AUCKLAND, August 3. Aeroplanes, speed boats, and racing motor cars, these are the hobbies of Sub-lieutenant Home Kidston, who arrived at Auckland by the Rangitane to join H.M.S. Diomede. Tall, goodnatured, and good-looking, Lieutenant Kidson has brought with him a special Gipsy Moth aeroplane and speed boat, and he proposes, if the conditions arc suitable and there is sufficient inducement, to import a special racing motor car to compete in track, road, and beach events. Sub-lieutenant Kidston is a brother of the late Commander Glen Kidston, who won fame for himself on the racing tracks and roads of Great Britain and Europe driving Bentley cars. Ho was killed in an aeroplane crash in South Africa last year.

Sub-lieutenant Kidston’a plane, which is at present in the hold of the Rangitane, is a specially “ hotted-up ” machine, and was built for Mr Alan Butler, director of the De Havilland Company. It is a two-seater with detachable top, stream-lined and capable of doing 126 miles an hour. In the recent Morning Post race in England the plane averaged 116 miles an limlr, and was flown into seventh place. From position one ahead of scratch it overtook 14 other planes. The plane will bo taken to Hobsonville and assembled.

Although motor car racing holds more attractions for Sub-lieutenant Kidston than any other sport, he lias also done a good deal of outboard racing in England, mostly at Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight. He has brought with him a 54 h.p. Vosper-Jolly boat capable of high speeds.