BRITAIN’S FLYING DUCHESS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18557, 2 May 1930, Page 9

BRITAIN’S FLYING DUCHESS.

Memorable Flight Ends

TO THE CAPE AND BACK. (United Press Assoctntlon—By :&ectrle Tel pgraph—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless). RUGBY, April 30. The Duchess of Bedford in her Fokker aeroplane, piloted by Captain Barnard, landed at Croydon at 5.30 this afterhoon. The Duchess left Lympne on the morning of April 10, and has thus accomplished the flight to Capetown and back, a distance of 19,000 miles, in 20£ days. Had her machine not been forced down in Bulgaria, owing to a blocked oilpipe, the journey would have been completed yesterday evening, in 194 days. Nevertheless, the Duchess and her pilot have created a brilliant new record. They have done the double journey in 194 flying days, as one day was spent at Copetown.

Moreover, their single journey from England to Capetown in 94 days, has beaten, by a big margin, the previous record made by Lieutenant Murdoch, of the South African Air Force. A large crowd had gathered at the Croydon aerodrome to welcome the aviators, including Air Vice-Marshal Sir Sefton Brancker. Director of Civil Aviation, Lieutenant - Commander Perrin, representing the Royal Aero Club, fend Lady Cobham.