CROYDON TO CAPE AND BACK

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20891, 22 November 1937, Page 9

CROYDON TO CAPE AND BACK

NEW ZEALANDER’S ACHIEVEMENT

NEW RECORDS FOR FAST FLYING

United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright (Received November 21, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, November 20. A large crowd watched the New Zealand airman, Flying Officer A. E. (Houston, shoot from the mist and circle Croydon aerodrome, four times, to make a perfect landing. The airman’s fiancee dashe through the police cordon, shouting: “I must be first to welcome him. ’ and as Flying Officer Clouston emerged from the plane, with some days growth of beard, she embraced him.

‘Little Late for Lunch” Flying Officer Clo.iston said: "I get here as I said, but I am a little late for lunch. I was lacec) with a sixty mile an hour gale the way home, tut managed to battle through successfully. We are delighted with our achievements.”

Mrs Kirby-Green who looked fresh, said: “I feel fine, but 1 am glad tr be home.”

Air Commodore Robertson congratulated the fliers on behalf of the Air Minister. The flight took 57 hours 22 minutes, the flying ,ime being 42 hours 9 minutes, the total flying time for the round trip be 1 ig 77 hours 48 minutes. They thus captured the records for both the outward and homeward trips. On the return journey, the official time of landing was 3.25 p.m.

The fliers were hurried to a car, but it was most difficult to drive away, owing to the enthusiastic crowds. Flying Officer Clous‘on said: “The trip was good as far -s Cairo. There were headwinds all along the Mediterranean, and we saw nothing but white spume sea. Only winds caused us to refuel at Mar sc’’les. Otherwise we would have man?, the trip in one hop. The plane stood up well.” Incidents in Flight Flying Officer Clouston was delayed at Broken Hill for nine hours owing to engine repairs.

A message from Cairo reported the airman's arrival at 7.43 p.m. G.M.T. On this flight Flying officer Clouston and his companion are attempting to break Mr H. L. Brook’s Cape-London record of 4 days 20 minutes. Crowds waiting at Cairo aerodrome had an unexpected thrill. When Flying Officer Clouston, when about to land, opened up the engine and rose in the air. On the second attempt to land the plane bumped four times, and again rose. Next time the airman made a good landing. He explained he was dazzled by the dashboard lights and could not see anything. Both were very tired. The flight from Khartoum was very cold.

FRESH ATTACK ON RECORD RUMANIAN PRINCE LEAVES CROYDON Unitro uress Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 21, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON November 20. The Rumanian Prince Cantacuzene left Croydon at 12.36 a.m. to-day, in an attempt to beat Flying Officer Clouston’t Cape record. A Paris message states that Prince Cantacuzene landed at Le Bourget at 1.52 a.m., and left for Alace at 2.31 a.m., after refuelling. The Prince is flying a Caudron typhoon monop) me with two 220-h.p. Renault engines. He planned to fty straight to Alaces in the Congo and thence direct to the Cape, but at the last minute he decided to iand at Paris to refuel and fly thence to the Cape in two hops.

AIRMAN’S SPLENDO PROGRESS HIGH AVERAGE SPEED United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received November 21, 8.20 p.m.) ALGIERS November 21. Prince Cantacuzene, bound to the Cape, landed at Aulef, 750 miles southwest of Algiers He averaging 165 miles an hour. He left later for the Cepe.