AVIATION

Otago Witness, Issue 3870, 15 May 1928, Page 28

AVIATION

WING-COMMANDER MANNING. . RUGBY, May 7. Wing-commander Manning, who is on his flight from England to Australia, has Clashed at Hours (Syria). Wing-com-mander Manning was unhurt. ITALIA AT KING’S BAY. LONDON. May 8. Belated messages from King’s Bay state that the excitement on the Italia’s arrival was comparable only to Amundsen’s disappearance three years ago. The airship had a fair voyage but the crew were in a constant state of anxiety and ceaseless vigilance over the icebound sea. The prevailing winds at King’s Bay made an immediate landing impossible, but ropes were gradually thrown out to willing helpers, until it resembled a maypole scene. Two members of the crew were frostbitten during the landing. The next stage of the flight is delayed owing to one motor requiring overhaul. DEPARTURE FROM KING’S BAY. OSLO, May 11. The Italia has left King’s Bay on her first reconnaissance over the Pole. FIRST SERIOUS REVERSE. LONDON, May 11. A message from King’s Bay (Spitzherge.n) says that Colonel Nobile met his first serious reverse when six Italian alpine chasseurs, -who, according to general plans, were to be dropped at "the North Pole for a short survey, left the expedition. Their experience of conditions amid polar ice wastes at Spitzbergen convinced them that the venture was over-hazardous. REPAIRS TO MOTOR NECESSARY. COPENHAGEN, May 12. One of the Italia’s gondolas was badly bumped when landing, and repairs to the motor will occupy three days. Meanwhile bad weather is approaching. WORLD’S ENDURANCE RECORD. PARIS. May 8. The brothers Arrachart took off in an attempt on the world's endurance record. FORCED TO DESCEND. PARIS, May 8. A leak compelled the Arrachants hastily to descend after 12 hours, when they had covered 1200 miles. LE BOURGET TO TOKIO. PARIS, May 8. Pellctjer and D’Oisy, with two companions, took off from Le Bourget to-day in perfect weather for Bucharest on the first stage of their flight to Tokio, which they are attempting to reach in 1800 miles stages. LE BOURGET AERODROME. PARIS, May 8. , Two silently weeping women, Captain Nungesser’s mother and Captain Goli’s widow, were the central figures at the ceremony of the unveiling of a monument at Le Bourget Aerodrome to Captain Nungesser and Captain Coli, and Colonel Lindberg. The monument is inscribed: u Honour to those who tried and to him who succeeded.” A memorial service was simultaneously held at Clifton Church at Etretat, where Captain Nungesser and Captain Coli were last sighted on Mav 8, 1927. - J HOLLAND TO BATAVIA. LONDON, May 9. It is announced from Holland that a regular air service between Holland, India, and the Dutch Indies with connections with London and throughout Europe is being inaugurated in the summer, using triple-screw Fokkers, with Armstrong-Siddeley Lyn engines. The fare from Holland to Batavia will be £3OO. It is expected that the Australian ■AR Transport Company will connect with a service running from Australia to Batavia, bringing London within 14 days of Australia, seven of India, and 10 of Batavia. FLIGHT AROUND THE WORLD. TOKIO, May 10. In a flight around the world Toichiro Araki has arrived here, beating the record. FRANCE TO JAPAN. BUCHAREST, May 9. Bad weather compelled Lieutenant Oisy to land at Arad, 500 kilometres west of Bucharest. ALEPPO, May 10. D Oisy and Pelletier left Bucharest at 6 a.m., and arrived at Aleppo at 3 pan. Mostly head winds were experienced. GIFT TO GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. LONDON, May 10. A wireless message has been received from. Captain Wilkins from Spitzbergen offering the Geographical Society a small British flag which accompanied him on his 15,000. miles of Arctic flights. It will be placed in the society’s museum in London beside the Union Jack flown by Sir William Parry’s sledge a century ago.

CAPTAIN WILKINS’S ’PLANE. SPITZBERGEN, May 9. Captain Wilkins and Eielson, who have been marooned at Green Harbour for the past three weeks, dug out their aeroplane from the snow and ice and are taking it by dog team over the icefield to the steamer Hobby, on which they embark on May 10 for Oslo. Captain Wilkins has accepted the Norwegian Government’s invitation to stay for the National Fete on May 17. ’PLANE SHIPPED ON STEAMER. SVALBARD (Spitzbergen), May 11. Captain M ilkins and Eielson have left Tromhowahds aboard the steamer Hobby, having overcome the objections to carrying the aeroplane. LONDON, May 11, Captain Milkins and Eielson expect to arrive by train at Oslo on May 25, when they will bo the guests of the Norwegian aero clubs and the Geographical Society. They will then visit Lars Christensen, the Consul at Sandcfjard, and discuss their Antarctic plans. When these are completed they will fly to Berlin, and will visit Antwerp at the request ' f the Belgian Geographical Society. They will then proceed to London to address the Aeronautical Society and discuss their Antarctic plans with the Polar Research Society. IMPERIAL AIRWAYS ROUTE. TEHERAN, May 11. The British and Persian Governments have exchanged notes regarding the granting of permission to Imperial Airways to fly over Persian territory. The Persian Government says it is prepared to enter into negotiations with the company in that connection, as there is no

special reason for refusing permission tuiuer certain conditions. ’ PLANE SETTLES ON STEAMER. NEW YORK, May 11. A 200-foot non-rigid army airship lat< to-day settled on a United States Shipping Board steamer in three minutes. ’ She picked up sacks of mail and again J took the air back to Lakehurst hanger. The steamer meantime continued on her course without halting. The shipping board chairman opines that soon they will be exchanging passengers in the same way. BEFORE THE SPRING THAW. WASHINGTON, May 11. The war department has ordered two amphibian ’planes to proceed to Greenely in an effort to get the men to the United States before the spring thaw makes the ice and ground too soft to take off. The Bremen will be flown to the United States by the Junkers pilot, Melchoir, who will be dropped on Greenely by a parachute. German Embassy has obtained permission from Canada and Newfoundland. THE ROCKET' AEROPLANE. LONDON, May 11. A second remarkable demonstration by the Opel Company has been fixed for May 17, when a Rocket aeroplane, piloted by Atton Raab, will be shot off at a speed of 35 miles hourly from the Frankfurt Aerodrome. Soon after the start the speed will be increased to 250 miles hourly. During the flight Raab hopes to take a record of the meteorological conditions at a height of 32,500 ft, as it is proposed to run the transatlantic air service at this height by means of rocket

’planes. Thereafter Raab will descend to the earth by means of a parachute, wlicih will be affixed to the aeroplane to assist it to return to earth. The pilot will be enclosed in a small cage. AIR FORCE MACHINE CRASHES. LONDON, May 12. Stalling prior to landing at Farnborough Aerodrome, an Air Force machine crashed among the adjoining houses. It struck a bay window, smashing the brickwork, and the wing tore a hole in the roof. It rebounded into the front gardqn of the next house, missing by inches a woman and a child who were clipping a hedge, over which the machine passed. The gardener also had a narrow escape. The machine was smashed to pieces. Aircraftsman Bolton was killed outright, Telegraphist Carter died soon after admission to hospital, and the pilot, Captain Ellison, of the Royal Marines, is in a serious condition. THE STOLL EXPEDITION. OTTAWA, May 12. News from 'Winnipeg states that the Stoll-M’Ciacken expedition to the Siberian arctic has sailed for Prince Rupert Land under the auspices of the American Museum of Natural History. They will have to face Russian gunboats if an attempt is made to land at Kamschatca or other Russian territory, according,to Mr R. Stoll, the leader of the expedition, as the Soviet officials have refused landing permission.