FLIGHT TO N.Z.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 521, 2 August 1932, Page 1

FLIGHT TO N.Z.

KINGSFORD SMITH PLANS HOP-OFF. Will Cross Next Month. TO LEAVE SYDNEY IN SOUTHERN CROSS. United Press Assn—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received August 2, 11.20 a.m.) BRISBANE, August 2. Sir Charles Kingsford Smith stated that he was returning to Sydney on August 15 and was practically certain that he would fly to New Zealand about the middle of September in the Southern Cross. ROUND-WORLD FLIGHT.

Von Gronau to Cross Pacific to Japan. <*' Star” Radio.) (Received August 2, 10 a.m.) BERLIN, August 1. Von Gronau will after all attempt a world tour, following up his recent crossing of the Atlantic. In a long communication sent to his representatives here he outlines his full plans. By short stages he will proceed through East and West Canada to the Pacific Coast. From Prince Rupert on the Canadian west coast he will fly over the Pacific to Japan, via the Aleutian Islands to the Japanese naval air station at Haneda near Tokio. From Japan he will fly in a westerly direction, but has not finally fixed his course, though his general aim is to fly along the coasts of China and India and to return to Europe via the Persian Gulf. The total distance of his flight from Sylt to Sylt will be about fifteen thousand kilometres, of which, on his arrival in Chicago, he had already covered 6,500 kilometres. FORCED TO COME DOWN

Short Circuit Terminates Endurance Flight. United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright. (Received August 2, 11.30 a.m.) LONDON, August 1. Mrs Victor Bruce, accompanied by her husband, ascended from the Solent in a giant three-engined amphibian, the City of Portsmouth, in an attempt to defeat the endurance record of twentythree days, and hoping to remain in the air a month. They descended an hour later, due to an electrical short circuit. ANOTHER ATLANTIC TRIP. (Received August 2, 11.30 a.m.) MONTREAL, August 1. Bernt Balchen, the famous airman, who was Byrd’s pilot in the Antarctic, states that he will be chief pilot of a 33-ton amphibian 'plane, which will attempt a flight from Minneapolis to Europe about August 15.