DEPARTURE FOR KARACHI

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1929, Page 11

DEPARTURE FOR KARACHI

SOUTHERN CROSS FLIGHT ADVENTURES AT ALLAHABAD HEAT ALMOST UNBEARABLE By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian Press Association. . Received July 5, 12.12 a.m. Sun Cable. Calcutta, July 4. The monoplane Southern Cross left Allahabad for Karachi, 890 miles, at 11.55 a.m. (approximately 6 p.m. New Zealand time). This is the seventh stage of the flight from Australia to England commenced on June 25. For the whole 500 miles to Allahabad yesterday, the Southern Cross! experienced a strong head wind. It landed at the wrong place at Allahabad and then found it impossible to re-start- the right propeller. After an hour’s persistence Fb'ghtLieut. C. T. P.. Ulm succeeded in restarting the blade and the aviators took off for the proper aerodrome at Bamrauli. They narrowly missed a half-hidden wire fence owing to having only 200 yards of runway. Squadron-Leader Kingsford Smith stated that not since they had begun the adventurous journey had the engine given so much trouble. This he attributed to the great heat of the tropics, which the fliers are finding almost unbearable. The Southern Cross, with SquadronLeader. Kingsford Smith, Flight-Lieutenant C. T. P. Ulm (co-pilots), Mr. H. A. Litchfield (navigator), and Mr. T. 11. McWilliams (wireless operator), left Calcutta at 5 a.m. yesterday for Karachi, in continuation of the flight from Australia to England. The full stage was not completed, the airmen landing at Allahabad at 12.15 p.m. owing to magneto trouble. Following are the details of the flight to date:— , June 25.—Left Richmond, Sydney, for Derby, Western Australia, about 2100 miles. ■■ June 26.—Arrived at Derby after flight of 22 hours 5 minutes. June 27.—Left Derby for Singapore, about 2020 miles. June 28. —Arrived at Singapore.. June 29.—Left Singapore and 'landed at Singora, Siam, about 458. miles. June 30.—Arrived at Rangoon) Burma, from Singora, about 690 miles. .• July 2.—Left Rangoon and arrived at Calcutta, about 660. miles. July B.—Flew from Calcutta to Allahabad. July 4.—Left Allahabad 11.55 a.m. for Karachi. /