TOP OVERHAUL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16704, 23 July 1928, Page 2

TOP OVERHAUL

FOR SOUTHERN CROSS MAIDMENT THE MAGICIAN SYDNEY, July 11- . The townspeople of Richmond straggle in twos and three across the fields anil stop at the mouth of the great hangar which temporarily has swallowed the Southern Cross. They gaze into the grey gloom of its interior and watch n little man with steady blue eyes tenderly fiddling with the vita.s of the machine that has already earned Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith and Flight-Lientenant Dim across the Pacific. . When the little man, whose name is C* C Maidmenfj has linished his work, tlie machine will cany the two punier, in one hop to New Zealand, and after that to Western Australia, and then to —nobody is quite sure at present. THE OLD BOX. Within the hangar the Southern Cross stretches its stiff wings almost from wall to wall. Over the wings young men m blue overalls crawl painfully, polishing every inch of their surface with sandpaper, as a preliminary to revarnishing. Underneath the left wing rests a dingy old packing case, measuring abdut four feet by three. That old box may once have held groceries, or biscuits, or beer. What, il held does not matter; on it rests from day to day the vitals of the Southern Cross, and over them glea.m the steady blue eyes of C. C. Maidment and the eager glances of the young mechanic allotted to him as assistant. Carefully they examine rings, plungers, valves, .springs, and innumerable little lumps.of queerly-shaped steel. As one watches the deft fingers of Maidment th/ Magician "taking down" and reassembling the engine of the famous monoplane, one is filled with confidence that comes from seeing an expert at work. Three weeks will be spent by Maidment in "top overhauling'.' the three 1 engines; and one knows beyond doubt that when the time comes for tbJ_ flight to New • Zealand, the trans-Pacific aviators will step into an aeroplane whose- machinery is in perfect condition. Officers in smart blue uniforms hurry in and out of the hangar. There is great activity at Richmond this week for Rig Boss* (as they call Air Marshal Sir John Salmond) is due at the aerodrome next Saturday. But it is worth noticing that no matter how great their hurry, these officers never fail to pause at the old box. Each bends over the array of steel for a few moments to Watch the movements of the fingers of the English* mechanic from America. WIZARD IN OVERALLS. Yesterday afternoon Mr. Maidment, who works" in canvas overalls labelled back and front with the word "Wright," glanced up with narrowing eyes from his work and snapped; "Are you another of themV' "Another of what?" was the counter-question. "Another of those chaps with a new idea in engines," was the reply. Assured that ho was wrong, Mr. Maidment explained that he had had to give Up much precious time in considering the plans of quaint visitors who wished to interest him and Kingsford and Ulm in plans of aeroengines that would make all other aeroengines appear antiquated. "Some of them may be nil right." lie said, "but, darn it all, I can't do half-a-dozen jabs at once." "This is not a general, overhaul I am doing for Smithy and Ulm," continued Mr. Maidment. "It is only a ffcp overhaul. . The three engines are in wonderful shape, considering that they have done 13,0C0 miles without being towhed. That means close on 300 hours without any ovcrhaitl for •these Yv'right Wirlwind engines. T am going to stay in A u *- . tralia until the boys have done their New Zealand hop and returned. I shall stay and overhaul the engine again for their Western Australian flight. Maybe I shall have to stay and prepare for a still longer flight. ' When you come to think of it, it is pretty marvellous to think that, except for a little carbon, there is nothing wrong with the engines since they left Oaklands, California." And, with that, the wizard in the overalls returned to the beatified box.