TASMAN CROSSING.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20459, 10 November 1934, Page 1

TASMAN CROSSING.

New Zealanders Will Try It. I Three New Zealanders will fly the Tasman for the first time early next week. Squadron-Leader J D. Hewett I and Flying-Officer C. E. Kay plan to i leave Richmond Aerodrome early in ; the morning, and make a daylight landing at Auckland. The wireless operator on the flight will probably be Mr F. Stewart. They will fly the de Ilavilland j Rapide machine in which they finished sixth in the Melbourne Centenary air i race. It is called Tainui, and has been described as “an air liner in miniature.” It is a twin-engined cabin biplane of wooden construction, is powered with two 200 h.p. Gipsy s>ix engines, has a top speed of 165 m.p.h., and cruises at 140 m.p.h. Those who await the arrival of the machine at Mangere Aerodrome will have no difficulty in recognising it. The fuselage is a brilliant orange, the wings ; are silver, and the engine cowlings j have been painted black and orange. I In the air race, Tainui’s range was only 1400 miles, but it has been fitted : with additional tanks in sections, at a cost of between £6OO and £7OO, to give it an extra cruising range up to 1600 miles. The machine will be fitted with radio equipment, both Morse and telephonic. The equipment includes a bank and turn indicator, gyro direction indicator and drift indicator in the cockpit floor, -while provision is also made for taking window sights.