HAZARDS OF THE AIR

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 673, 27 May 1929, Page 1

HAZARDS OF THE AIR

adventures and perils OF FLYERS TO BRITAIN AND BACK Flight-Lieutenant Moir and FlyingOfficer Owen have had an adventurous time since they left Australia v/ith Captain Frank Hurley in the plane Spirit of Australia, on an attempt to fly to England and back, and to eclipse *tert Hinkler’s record. On the way from Port Darwin to

Surabaya, Owen risked his life in. ttunbing out to fix a valve cover on Jbe engine. At Singapore, in rising Irom a sodden field, they just mana Sed the take-off. The under-carriage damaged, but they could not go °ack and land safely with their over°ad. However, all went well until

they left Athens, where their airplane got into a ravine beside the airdrome and was wrecked. Hurley then abandoned the project, but Moir and Owen went on to London, and after long negotiation the Air Ministry lent them the ViekersVellore, which is now slightly damaged at Cape Don, near Darwin. They started from Lympne, Kent,

for Australia on March IS. They reached Malta on March 20 and Benghazi, on the north coast of Africa, on March 21. Next day the airmen made a forced landing at Mersa Matruh because of engine trouble. Damage was done to one wing tip and also to the undercarriage, and both had to be replaced. That operation was carried out on April 27 and next\day the flight was resumed.

All went safely as far as Bima. On May 18 the airmen hopped off thence for Darwin. It is now revealed that their plane came to grief 105 miles north-east of Darwin. Its right wing is broken, but the airmen are unhurt. The route followed to Australia was as follows: — March IS.—Left Lympne, Kent, and reached Marseilles.

March 19.—Left Marseilles and reached Rome. March 20. —Ai-rived at Malta. March 23. —Forced landing at Mersa Matruh. North Africa. March 23-April 28.—At Mersa Matruh, awaiting 1 new wing, etc. April 28.—Left Mersa Matruh and reached Aboukir, Egypt. April 30. —Arrived at Cavro. May I.—Left Cairo and reached Bagdtay 3.—Flew to Bender Abbas. PerSi Mav U 4.— Arrived at Karachi, India. May 7- —Reached Calcutta, via Allalia jlay o.—Arrived at Akvab and left f °May nS L3°—Reached Singapore, via Si M R °v : i 5 & —T.nnded at Batavia, Java. *£? \ 7.— coritiiiued °fiight* ? to Bima, ° May ?B.—Left ie ßima for Darwin, via Timor Island.