FURTHER DELAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18545, 3 November 1934, Page 5

FURTHER DELAY

‘“SMITHY’S FLIGHT THOROEG 11 OVERHAUL REPAIRS TO MACHINE (Klee. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Received Nov. 3, 11 ,a.m.) HONOLULU, Nov. 2. Army mechanics are assembling and rigging “Smithy’s" plane to-day after an all-night task of dismantling it to repair leaks in the oil and fuel tanks.

It is expected that test flights will be made late to-day or Saturday, and then the plane will he, refuelled for the hop to the mainland at noon on Saturday, at the earliest. “Smithy" and Captain Taylor are the guests of Army Air Force officers.

Picked mechanics from botli Luke and Wheeler fields worked under flood lights all night to hasten the repairs. When lifting the fuselage off the wing they found a slight fault in the main fuel tank, in addition to a crack in the oil tank.

The army command is taking a big interest in the flight, and Major Ernest Clark, commanding Wheeler Field, is spending most of his time in the repair hangar. Although on arrival, “Smithy" estimated that he had'fuel left for 21 hours’ flying, his motor stopped after. 2.5 minutes’ flying, just as he landed at Wheeler Field after a test ■flight on Wednesday. ■ “Smithy" said he could not have flown 30 minutes more on the hop from 'Suva. Army mechanics are turning the repair work into a major overhaul, due to tlie discovery of a hole worn through the fuel tank by a bolt. ‘■Smithy” believes that the fuel was leaking, on the flight from Suva leading him to over-estimate the remaining fuel. Army mechanics are chocking the rigging' closely and making many changes.