AVIATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3862, 20 March 1928, Page 27

AVIATION

MR HINKLER IN SYDNEY.

PRESENTED WITH TWO ' CHEQUES.

SYDNEY March 13. Mr Hinkler is being royally feted at all engagements arranged in hijj honour. He was tendered a civic reception by the city commissioners and presented with a cheque for £933 collected by a newspaper. The presentation was made by a representative Sydney girl in an aeroplane flying above Government House.

At a gala theatre performance Mr Hinkler was presented with a cheque for £6OO, the first instalment of a collection by another paper.

HONOURED BY THE KING. LONDON, March 12. The King has awarded Mr Hinkler the 'Air Force Cross in recognition of his Anglo-Australian flight.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT. LONDON, March 13. It is officially stated that Hinkler’s honour is “ in recognition of the distinguished services he rendered to aviation by his recent flight from England to Australia.”

SIR BENJAMIN FULLER’S OFFER. SYDNEY, March 13. Sir Benjamin Fuller has offered to finance Mr Hinkler should he care to make a flight across the Tasman. M r Hinkler has not yet had time to consider the offer.

MR HINKLER AT CANBERRA. CANBERRA, March 14. yU Hinkler arrived and was enthusiastically welcomed. Later, at an official reception, Mr Bruce presented him with £2OOO d<3ral Gover nment’s cheque of CAPTAIN HINCHCLIFFE. SECRET FLIGHT STARTED. n . . LONDON, March 13. Captain Hinchcliffe left Cranwell this morning for an unknown destination. Even his wife does not know hi s plans. A later message says that he is bound for Ireland where he will await favourable weather before attempting the Atlantic. SINCLAIR TURNS UP. LONDON, March 14. Sinclair has arrived at Mrs Hinchcliffe s house, finally disposing of the rumour that there were three persons in the aeroplane.

SUDDEN DECISION TO START. LONDON, March 15. Sinclair says that it was only two hours before the departure of the “ Endeavour ” that the Hon. Elsie Mackay decided to fly with Captain Hinchcliffe. In an interview he said: “My job has been superintending the equipment and good preparation of the machine, in which‘l originally thought I should be flying. I had been working for a fortnight to get ready, and had not slept the lust four or five nights. The rest of the party arrived on Monday. I was so busy getting stuff aboard that I lid not notice the repeated talks between the Hon. Elsie Mackay and Captain Hinchcliffe. I only know that suddenly, at 2 o’clock on Tuesday morning, I was told that I was not to fly. “We had been up all night long making preparations, and we went to the aerodrome in the Hon. Elsie Mackay’s car, and everything was in readiness. I shook hands with them, and the next thing I remember was waving good-bye to the * Endeavour,’ which had started.

“ Now I am waiting anxiously, but full of hope. Captain Hinchcliffe mentioned many times that he would if possible, push on to Philadelphia, and I think •it likely that the ‘ Endeavour ’ slipped through the watchers at Newfoundland in a slight fog. They have petrol sufficient for 45 to 50 hours, so can still keep going. We found it impossible to make any calculations as to the time the trip would take, as that depends on the strength and variation of the wind.

“ Captain Hinchcliffe said he was confident he would be able to pick out a landing-place at St. John’s by the lights of the'town. If that was impossible he would push further on. There was no night on Monday for bur party, and we stayed up talking and preparing rations, until a decision was come to suddenly at 2 o’clock. That is the whole story.”

THE REASON FOR SECRECY. LONDON, March 15.

A correspondent of the Evening Standard ■ reveals the full story of the reason . for secrecy about the flight. He says that the Hon. Elsie Mackay w‘ greatly fascinated by the attempts to fly. the Atlantic, and was anxious financially to support some such, venture. She always wanted to go herself, and frequently said she was ready to provide the money required, but her greatest desire was that Lord Inchcape should not be aware of her intention for fear he would ban the project and hold up the money. Therefore she adopted a plan by which the money was drawn in a friend’s name. She applied to Imperial Airways for the ser- • vice of a pilot, and shortly afterwards she met ,Captain Hinchcliffe, who agreed ? -to her plans. She arranged, that Cap. - • lain Hinchcliffe should- go to America and purchase a machine at a cost of £5OOO.

Captain Hinchcliffe also favoured secrecy from the point of view that it would be far more remunerative if the attempt was shrouded in' mystery. The Hon. Elsie Maekay engaged Captain Hinchcliffe at the rate of £lOO a month, but naturally de-, sired to get as much financial return as possible from the venture. The friend states that the Hon. Elsie Mackay was most determined to participate, and an elaborate scheme was arranged by which it should be thought that Sinclair was accompanying Captain Hinchcliffe, though it was never intended that he should. The idea was that on arrival in America “ Sinclair ” should jump from, the machine and reveal “ himself ” to the. amazement of the world as the Hon. Elsie Mackay. FATHER’S FRUITLESS APPEAL. CAIRO, March 16. When the first news of the Hon. Elsie Mackay’s project leaked out, Lord Inchcape urgently appealed to her to refrain from the perilous undertaking. He was profoundly affected when he learned that she had actually started. Lady Inchcape is in delicate health, and has not been informed. SEARCH IN UNITED STATES. OTTAWA, March 17 A search of the heavily-wooded Moosehead Lake region, in the State of Maine, will be conducted by a Canadian Air Force ’plane. Washington has granted permission to fly over United States territory to search for Captain Hinchcliffe and the Hon. Elsie Mackay. Reiterated reports have been received by the Government that a ’plane was heard on Thursday morning. FEELING IN AMERICA. NEW YORK, March 17. With hope for the safety of Captain Hinchcliffe and the Hon. Elsie laekay abandoned there are exp-essions of 'egret and statements of admiration for the aviators. There is also, however, a resumption of the feeling against hazardous flights thatk do nothing to further the scientific side of aviation. CRASH IN SOUTH AFRICA. CAPETOWN, March 13. An aeroplane crash at Harrismith resulted in the death of Dr Joubert, a learner, and Captain Jewhurst, pilot of the aeroplane. CRASH AT NAIROBI. LONDON, March 13. Advices from Nairobi state that Lady Carbery, wife of the Irish peer, was killed in an aeroplane in which she was giving an instruction flight. The ’plan e crashed in the presence of Lord Carbery. The pupil was also killed. MACHINE DEVELOPS A SPIN. LONDON, March 13. A message from Nairobi states that Lady. Carbery’s machine developed a spin. She jumped out and was killed instantly Lord Carbery was one of the first to reach the wreck. Lady Carbery was 22 years of age. CRASH IN MIDAIR. LONDON, March 14. Sucked in the wake of a huge bomber with which it collided, a disabled Bristol fighter crashed 700 ft at Monston Aerodrome. The occupants—Flying Officers Mumford and Matthews and Lieutenant Scott—weie killed. The bomber alighted safely, despite both propellers being broken. CROYDON TO CAPETOWN. - LONDON, March 14. Lady Bailey has arrived at Catania. MAIL SERVICE INAUGURATED. PARIS, March 14. The first mail utilising aeroplanes coastwise to link up- with steamers on both sides of the Atlantic arrived to-day, 14 days from Buenos Aires, instead of three weeks by the most favourable sea transit. FLIGHT TO AUSTRALIA. WELTEVREDEN, March 16. Captain Lancaster and Mrs Miller, in the aeroplane “ Red Rose.” have arrived at Bima, and expect to reach Darwin on Sunday. KOEPANG. March 17. Captain Lancaster reports that terrific rains flooded the landing ground, and that the Red Rose will be unable to leave for Darwin on Sunday. He hopes to get away on Monday.

. ; DARWIN March 18. There is disappointment here owing to Captain Lancaster having delayed his departure from Koepang. Great preparations have been made for his arrival. AUSTRALIA’S PRIDE. BOYHOOD DAYS RECALLED. A , SYDNEY, March 2. Australia s enthusiasm at the success of Bert Hinkler apparently knows no bounds. The record of his wonderful reception at his old home town of Bundaberg has been eagerly devoured throughout the Commonwealth, and Sydney, alike with other cities, is almost impatiently awaiting its opportunity of paying homage to the airman whose feat, has thrilled the world. Hinkler has been a' “ feature ” news item for weeks now, and the interest in his achievements has not slackened in the least. _ Newspaper- funds for his reward are being -willingly subscribed to. One Sydney journal has started a fund with a minimum .subscription of. £l, and it' is receiving great support. Another . section of the community is rallying to the slogan

of “ a bob in for Hinkler.” Sydney's welcome to Hinkler will be on a lavish scale.

fittingly it was Bundaberg which set the example. For a week before Hinkler arrived, Bundaberg, depressed such a short time ago by the serum tragedy, was mad with, excitement. Every piece of news recording his progress was a signal for the ringing of the fire bell, and men who were schoolboys with him did the ringing. Outside Bundaberg Ipitels the news of his progress was posted up and almost every shop in the town displayed a map which indicated where he was from day to day Everybody talked of “Our Bert.” When last Friday night his whereabouts were unknown, Bundaberg did not worry. They had faith in him. And they all laughed when he told them that he had slept in the open alongside an aboriginal who could not speak English. They laughed to think that he was spending the night in comparative safety while all Australia—except Bundaberg, buoyed up by faith—worried

Never was an airman's progres 3 more closely followed than Hinkler’s at Bundaberg last Monday. He was not due until 4 o’clock, but the people flocked on to the landing ground at 1 ©‘clock, and cheered every time news was received that he had passed over some town en route from Longreach. And when he came’ through the clouds, a tiny speck, the firebelf rang again, but louder than ever this time. And the bands played: “See the Conquering Hero Comes.” To Bundaberg he was the greatest hero the world had ever seen, so was it any wonder that the crowd broke loose after ho landed? Such cheering had never before been heard in Bundaberg, and, thanks to the enterprise of the broadcasting companies, it was beard throughout Australia. A great unseen army of listeners shared Bundaberg’s joy. The speech by the Mayor of Bundaberg (Aiderman M‘Lean). also heard throughout Australia, is worth recording here in full. “ On behalf of the citizens of Bundaberg,” he said, “ I extend to you a royal welcome to your native town. In this huge crowd are men and women who played with you in your boyhood days, and who have seen you rise to fame. Their hearts throb with joy, a common complaint, 1 might say, throughout the world to-day due to your marvellous achievement. You are a wonderful young man, Bert, and we are proud of you. Let me tell you in this joyous hour that we watched and waited for your daring deed to be accomplished You did accomplish that deed, and.we are here to pay you that homage which you have justly earned.” In the midst of such enthusiasm Hinkler no longer appeared as a man of great daring. He was deeply moved as he met his mother, and obviously shy and nervous. The overwhelming reception left him lost for words, and he modestly returned thanks in the briefest possible speech. He was in charge of the crowd until, at the end of a procession, he passed beneath an arch of flags and entered his old home, where his family claimed him once again. His home is almost like an old-world house, and Gavan street, in which it is situated, is a romantic sort of street that seems to belong to another epoch. Such streets are to be found in every Australian town with a history. His mother is an> old-world lady. She stepped into the house a bride 38 years ago',- and she has not moved from it since. Her husband and her family have been her life. Her husband, who had been in ill-health for a long time, just failed to see his son’s crowning triumph. He died last October. In the old home Hinkler, in his Air Force uniform, looks down from a big frame above the sideboard. Hinkler, in uniform, looks down from another frame above the piano. “Keep your pecker up, mum. I will, fly home to your door.” This is typical of an endless shower of messages and letters that have come to Mrs Hinkler from her son, who all along has been the most dutiful of correspondents. The little lady will adjust her glasses and proudly display a drawer piled high with letters from Bert, from a score of places in Great Britain, Europe, and the East. Should he see a play in London the programme, weeks later, finds its way into that drawer. Should he compete in an air race, the table of events, with his name heavily underlined, comes to the old home. And then there are newspaper clippings and his war letters yellowed with the passing of time. “ I never miss a newspaper cutting about Bert,” she said the other day. She has a suit case full of them, and she is proud to say that she and her son have always been pals., “ They said that I would spoil Bert,” she continued, “ but he has showed them all that I could not spoil him by making him a mother’s boy.” As was inevitable, stories of Hinkler’s boyhood have been unearthed. It is said that he was laughed at as a boy for the way he was fascinated by the wings and flights of birds. Twenty years ago he set out to make himself a glider, anc his mother gave him two guineas, which she could ill spare, for a set of wheels, and got him some cloth to cover the wings. When dragging his first glider, to the beach where he was to test it. it was damaged, but he did not lose heart. “He would never give in,” his mother said. “He was not like that.” In 1912 Hinkler had two gliders, and he placed one of them on exhibition at tljj? Bundaberg Show. There was once an aviation society in Queensland at a time when an impetus was given to aviation by the invention of the then well-known Wiles-M'Leod aeroplane. It was highly thought ot. and an appeal was made to the Government to construct it. Promises were made, but these were not fulfilled, and gradually the ardour for the cause slackened. It became evident that the Aviation Society would soon sink into oblivion. A meeting of members was called for the purpose of winding up the society. There was introduced to that meeting Bert Hinkler, a mere lad of 14 years, who as a country member of the society attended, paying his own expenses from Bundaberg. It was stated that Hinkler had constructed a glider of his own design, and wished to exhibit it for the benefit of the members. It was considered that, the ■ glider was really- ingenious, and the opinion was expressed that while such talent existed in ■Queensland the society should not dissolve. -This suggestion was greeted with enthusiasm, all present ■ showering congratulations on the youthful member. The society did not dissolve,- but remained in •existence until the outbreak of war.

Among- the first telegrams of congratulation to reach Mrs Hinkler'was one from Sir Keith Smith. It read: “ You shall

be proud of your son. It was a wonderful achievement." Mrs Hinkler says that the rule which stipulated that the pilot naa to take with him a mechanic prevented Hinkler from entering the contest for the £lO,OOO prize offered by the Federal Government for the first flight England to Australia, and won by Sir Ross Smith and Sir Keith Smith. Hinkler had nobody but himself, she said She disclosed, too, that after this failure to compete, Hinkler got a little depressed, and threatened to go to Canada and give up flying. However, she produced one ot his letters which contained the passage: I could not leave it. The fascination was too great.” , I call the Queen my cousin to-day, declared Mrs Hinkler, after Bun Jabergs tumultuous reception of her famous son. “I am the proudest woman in the world.” Hinkler so far has said nothing of his future movements, but in a broadcast message to his wife hinted that he might be staying in Australia. 1 will be sending for you soon,” he said to her. He stated that he had not given a thought to a flight to New Zealand. When he left England there were some negotiations in progress for long distance flights, and these might have c bearing on the length of his stay in the commonwealth. Asked about Lloyd’s insurance scheir. Hinkler said: “I did not have much cash and I needed some for expenses and equipment. An agent and myself went round London, but the response was about as good as if I were trying to sell rotten fruit. I then suggested payment by results, taking Sir Ross Smith’s 28 da-s as a basis and asked certain newspaper interests to pay me so much a day I saved on 28 days. But they seemed to think there was a catch in it. My agent tried Lloyd’s, and an arrangement was suggested by which I would get £2048 for a 16-days’ flight. But there was a premium of £l5O to pay, so I preferredto conserve my resources for the expenses of the tour.” Lloyd’s said that it might be possible to reduce the time to five days, and the amount payable would then have reached the amazing figure' of £4,194,304.