EASTERN TOUR

Southland Times, Issue 22294, 9 April 1934, Page 5

EASTERN TOUR

AIR FORCE SQUADRON VISIT TO AMERICAN TERRITORY A WEEK AT MANILA (British Official Wireless.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Rugby, April 6. A flying boat squadron which left Singapore early this week is engaged on a cruise which will last about five weeks, and will include halts of a week at Manila (Philippines) and ten days at Hong Kong. This will be the first time a Royal Air Force squadron has visited United States territory. The flight is being made by members of No. 205 Squadron, which has made many long-distance formation flights. In 1927-28 it made a cruise of 28,000 miles and in 1932 made another cruise of 20,000 miles. It is equipped with Southampton twin-engined flying boats which have proved of great value in flights where there were no natural landing grounds and the preparation of aerodromes was costly and difficult. On the way to the Philippines, where three calls will be made, the flying boats will alight at Sibu (Borneo), and after the visit to Hong Kong they will make their way to the Federated Malay States by way of the Portuguese possession of Macao and three ports in French Indo-China. The last call before returning to the base at Singapore will be at Koda Behruein (Federated Malay States). The longest section of the trip will be between the Philippines and Hong Kong, a distance of 500 miles over the open sea.