AIR RACE FOR KING’S CUP

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1929, Page 9

AIR RACE FOR KING’S CUP

RECORD IN GLOSTER GREBE LIEUT. ATCHERLEY’S VICTORY UNEXPECTED CLOSE FINISH By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. Australian Press Association. Received July 7, 5.5 p.m. United Service. London, July 6. Tlio King’s Cup two-day air race round Britain was won by Lieutenant Atcherley in a Gloster Grebe. Lieutenant Richardson in a Moth was second, and Captain Hope in a Gipsy Moth third. The finish provided an unexpected thrill for the thousands waiting at Heston. Two machines appeared in the offing racing neck and neck, one of which presumably was Captain Stack, who led throughout, but Captain Stack had been forced down owing to engine trouble. The oncoming- rivals were Lieutenants Atcherley and Richardson. The former took the lead a mile from home and won by a hundred yards. Five minutes covered the first four. Lieutenant Atcherley averaged 150.3 miles an hour. The next best was Filden in a Gloster Grebe, who did 143.3 miles per hour. Richardson, with an average of 100,2 won the Siddeley trophy for light planes. Miss Winifred Spooner in a Gipsy Moth was placed fifth. She headed the women competitors. Mrs. Butler and Lady Bailey, both in Gipsy Moth coupes, also finished. Captain Stack, despite his forced landing, came in sixth.

Forty-one machines left the Heston aerodrome, Brentford, London, on Friday morning for the race. Mr. Van Lear Black, the American business man who has flown all over the world, hired a 14-seater plane as an aerial grandstand to follow the competitors. Lady Bailey has made remarkable long-distance flights to Capetown and back. Miss Winifred Spooner was placed third in last year’s race after keeping a wonderful course. The course totals 1169 miles. It is from Heston via Henlow (Bedfordshire), Norwich, Hornchurch, Lympne, Southampton and Bristol to Blackpool for the first day, and for the second day from Blackpool by way of Renfrew, Newcastle, Leeds and Birmingham hack to Heston.

The King’s Cup in 1928 was won for the second time by Captain W. L. Hope, whose time during the two days was 10hr 24min 4sec, with an average speed of 105 J miles an hour. Miss Spooner (third) was smin 22sec longer. C. F. Unwin was second at 101 miles per hour and Captain A. H. Broad fourth. All these finished within 7imin of each other. The race in 1927, over a course of only 540 miles, for which 10 of the 25 entrants started, was won by Captain Hope in a small 27 h.p. De Havilland Moth. He did 92.8 miles, per hour in very bad weather conditions. Captain W. J. McDonough, Westland Widgeon lioht aeroplane, was second, and FlightLieutenant E. R. Scholefield, Vickers Vixen biplane, was third. The contest started and finished at Hucknall aerodrome, near Nottingham, and was over two courses, twice over one and once over the other.