WOMAN’S SOLO FLIGHT

Otago Witness, Issue 3994, 30 September 1930, Page 29

WOMAN’S SOLO FLIGHT

ENGLAND TO JAPAN.

MRS VICTOR BRUCE HOPS OFF.

LONDON, September 25.

Mrs Victor Bruce left Heston this morning on a solo flight in a Blackburn Binebird. Her destination is Tokio. She expects to reach Budapest or Vienna tonight. PILOT’S LIMITED EXPERIENCE. — RUGBY, September 25. Mrs Victor Bruce, who is flying to Tokio, hopes to reach there in 15 days. If she succeeds it will be the longest flight ever accomplished by a woman. Mrs Bruce, -who is well-known as a racing motorist and a traveller, took to flying only six weeks ago. She acquired a .pilot’s certificate after a seven-day demonstration in which she was highly success ful. ARRIVAL AT MUNICH. LONDON, September 25. Mrs Bruce has arrived at Munich. MRS BRUCE HAS NARROW ESCAPE. VIENNA, September 26. Mrs Victor Bruce arrived from Munich in terrible weather. She had to fly over hills in which she appeared hopelessly lost. When she found her bearings she realised that the petrol tank was leaking and was within an inch of the exhaust. Mrs Bruce hopes to continue her flight to-day.

Mrs Victor Bruce is the foremost British woman motor car racer and has several records to her credit. Taking up track racing with her husband, she became noted for exceptional coolness and judgment, combined with unfaltering courage. She first came into prominence in January, 1927, when, as a competitor in a race from the extreme north of Scotland to Monte Carlo, she covered the distance in three days without sleep. In July of that year she and her husband drove through Sweden to the Arctic Circle, going 200 miles further north than any motorist had been bofore. In December they achieved a feat which for pluck and superb driving skill had never been equalled. In., bitterly cold and stormy weather they drove a car for 10 days continuously on the Montlhery track in France, covering 15,000 miles at an average speed of 68 miles an hour and beating several records. It was not until the fifth day, when an accident delayed them for 16 hours and injured her husband, that she accepted occasional relief in driving from another motorist. In November, 1928, she drove froni Stockholm to Monte Carlo over roads which for about 500 miles were covered with deep snow. Returning to the racing track next year, she accomplished at Montlhery the most remarkable feat standing to the credit of a woman motorist. Driving a car continuously for 24 hours, with only one or two brief breaks for snatches of food, she covered over 2200 miles at 90 miles an hour. This broke not only the pre vious 24-hour speed record (73 miles an hour), but also that for the finest nonstop run by a single driver. In January. 1930, she was again close to the Arctic Circle, and thence drove once more in bitter winter conditions to Monte Carlo Interspersed with these activities were speed trials with motor boats, of which she possesses four. In 1927 she crossed the English Channel from Dover to Calais and back—a distance of 45 miles —in 107 minutes, making a new record. But in August, 1929, she beat this and also a record of 83 minutes set up by Kaye Don in the interval, for she covered the distance in 79 minutes.