THE BIG AIR RACE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23001, 2 October 1936, Page 7

THE BIG AIR RACE

SCOTT LEADS FIELD HOME ARRIVAL AT JOHANNESBURG LLEWELLYN CRASHES (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 1. (Received Oct. 2, at 1 a.m.) Mr C. W. A. Scott has arrived here. He flagged in at 12.36, local time. His flying time was 3174 minutes. A message from the Rand states that Llewellyn crashed on the banks of Lake Tanganyika. The plane was wrecked, but the occupants are safe. Mr C. W. A. Scott, who, with the late Mr Campbell Black, is the holder of the flying record from England to Australia, has had a notable career in aviation. He is now 33 years of age and made his first flight from England to Australia in 1930, when he took a Gipsy Moth

machine out, for a wealthy Australian in 9 days 4 hours 11 minutes, thus breaking the late Sir Charles Kingsford Smith’s record He flew back to England in June, 1931, and in the following year set up a new record to Australia in the face of extraordinary difficulties. Mr Scott s greatest achievement, however, was the winning of the Melbourne Air Race in 2 days 4 hours. His partner, Mr Campbell Black, who was killed recently at Liverpool, was to have been a contestant in the race to South Africa.

EARLIER MESSAGES HALSE AHEAD OF SCOTT LONDON, Sept. 30. Halse is now six hours ahead of Scott. Llewellyn arrived at Juba and resumed. An Italian plane is taking a spare piston to Clouston, who hopes to leave in the afternoon. HALSE CRASHES ■ JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 30. After : leading all day by some hours, Halse crashed this evening at Bomshawo, about 20 miles from Salisbury and only 685 miles from his goal.' He was not seriously injured, but bruises on the head necessitated his entering Salisbury Hospital. He was also completely exhausted The extent of the damage to the machine at present is unknown, but Halse has withdrawn from the race.

The struggle for first place now lies between Scott and Llewellyn They were flying neck and neck until the morning but then took different routes. Scott was last heard of at 2.20 p.m., when he left Kisumm. He expected to reach Broken Hill this evening, Llewellyn passed over Entebbe this after noon, and was reported subsequently going well. The day’s outstanding surprise Was the news that Smith was still participating. He left Skoplje but was again dogged by ill-luck and made a forced landing 20 miles outside Salonika. He says he will resume after repairs

I MACHINE OVERTURNED

JOHANNESBURG, Sept. 30,

Halse said: “The instruments gave trouble for the greater part of the day I was unable to find Salisbury Stability and visibility were bad from the smoke of numerout veldt fires. Having only five minutes’ daylight, I decided to land and selected a suitable field, but when slowing up the machine struck an ant heap and overturned,” Halse’s arm was dislocated and was set under an anaesthetic. He is now sleening. Other reports say that the machine was completely smashed Waller arrived at Khartoum. HALSE’S AVERAGE SPEED (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Sept. 30, Up to the time of his accident, Halse had taken just on 35 hours for a flight of 5520 miles, at an average speed, neglecting halts, of 157.6 miles an hour SCOTT LEADS THE FIELD LONDON, Oct 1. Scott is now the leader He landed at Abercorn (North Rhodesia) at 9.30 a.m He is very tired and is sleeping until 12.20 p.m. (British standard time) when he leaves for Johannesburg non-stop NO NEWS OF LLEWELLYN LONDON. Oct. 1 (Received 'Oct. 2, at 0.30 a.m.) Scott took off from, Abercorn at 4.45 a.m.. local time. Waller took off at midnight from Juba. There is no further news of Llewellyn.