ITALIAN FLYING SUCCESS

Taranaki Daily News, 18 July 1933, Page 5

ITALIAN FLYING SUCCESS

•CROWDS WILDLY EXCITED SINGING IN THE STREETS SQUADRON AT CHICAGO By Telegraph—Press Assn—Copyright. Rome, July 15. Sirens throughout the city announced General Italo Balbo’s arrival at Chicago with the Italian trans-Atlantic air squadron. Wildly excited crowds who paraded the streets cheered and sang patriotic songs. The 24 Italian flying boats in succeeding in their flight across the Atlantic have carried out by far the greatest flight the world has seen. The flight follows on an earlier large formation flight, which was a partial success. In January, 1931, General Balboa, head of the Regia Aeronautics, the Italian equivalent of the Royal Air Force, led the flight of a squadron of flying boats from Rome to Port Natal (Brazil). Thirteen boats set out from Rome, but only ten left Bolama, West Africa, which was the starting point for the actual Atlantic crossing. One had crashed in taking off, another disappeared, and a third was forced down at sea, the crew being rescued by a ship. The ten boats that left Africa all arrived in Brazil. The present flight was originally planned to start some time ago, so that the machines would arrive at Chicago in lime for the opening of the Century of Progress Fair there. Delay in delivery of some of the flying boats caused the postponement of the flight. The . flying boats are Savoia-Marchetti twin-hulled craft, each driven by two Isotta-Fraschini engines of 925 horsepower each, which are perched above the one wing. They are similar in general appearance to the boats used on the earlier flight, but have much more power, and by reason of many refinements are considerably more suitable for their big task. Fully loaded, they take off in between 40s and 455, a great improvement over the performance of the earlier boats. . , • More than 100 members of the Regia Aeronautica went through special training for the flight. There was keen competition for inclusion in the personnel of the squadron, for the Atlantic badge is one of the most coveted decorations of the force. The pilots had particularly to practise taking off and landing witp full loads in heavy seas. In spite of his duties as Minister for Air, General Balbo attended the training course, doing the same work as the other pilots. If the original plans are adhered to the squadron will fly from Chicago to South America, and thence to Rome, crossing Spain on the way.