Flights to Africa

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 17917, 22 October 1932, Page 10

Flights to Africa

A BOOK <tf absorbing interest is 'Mr. Benjamin Bennett’s “Down Africa’s Sky Ways,” which reveals -the-magnitude oi'the'task which faced the first pilots making the perilous . -journey over the Dark Continent.

It is 12 years si live Sir Pierre Van,-. Ryneveld amt Sir Quintia Brgnd set oil' on the first flight-to the Cape in their Vickers machine, the Silver Queen. They were forced ’by a storm to land at Rome,, The next morning they crossed.the Apennines and landed at Oioja- del Oolli., wheuco they were to cross the Mediterrn nean by night/ 1 This lap proved one of the worst of the whole flight'. It was very bumpy from the start, but presently they were thrusting into the teeth of a gale, and the; machine, pitching like a cork at the 'bottom of a waterfall, made little headway. Van Ryneveld struck himself in the face with his gloves. to keep himself awake.' ' A torch shone blindingly in the eves saved Brand from sagging into profound slumber. With dawn near fresh; hopo cheered the ■ airmen, but when it. was light there was no sign of the coast and petrol was getting low. On through rnoro .stinging rain and another' "storm ; a petrol 'got lower and lower. Below was nothing hut the vest-' less,’ surging waters.- . . . At- last the. coastline hove in sight, and a little later the Silver Queen landed in the ddsort at Denial The journey had taken them, 1J hours. ■ 1

Two ’planes were wrecked in Africa, and it was upon a third that finally Van, Ryneveld and .Unhid arrived at Capetown, to receive a tumultuous welcome: Cobhamj Bentley, the late Commander Kidston, Miss tSalamon, Murdoch, Van Lear Black-—these and others were to link their names with the development of Africa’s vast airways, and their work is dealt with.-' Each contributed a quota; to the- experience 'which made possible the’regular air lino of to-day.