VICTOR SMITH FAILS.

Wairarapa Age, 15 March 1933, Page 5

VICTOR SMITH FAILS.

FORCED DOWN WITHIN SIGHT OF SUCCESS. ATTEMPTED FLIGHT FBOM LONDON TO CAPETOWN. STRONG HEAD WINDS CAUSE PETROL SHORTAGE. CAPETOWN, March 13. VicLlr Smith, the young South African airman, who disappeared when within 250 miles of Capetown and the air record, has been found. Smith left Walvis Bay at 7.20 last night and when dawn broke at 5.30 a.m. to-day two thousand were assembled in the aerodrome to welcome him. But Smith failed to appear. Later he walked Into Vanrhynsdorp, a small country town, 200 miles north-west of Capetown. He had enciuntered strong headwinds after lea.ing Walvis Bay. It soon became obvious that it was impossible to reach Capetown without refuelling, so he headed for Vanrhysn dorp, but the petrol shortage was so acute that he dropped a flare and landed in the desert. Then, despite the great strain of the flight, he staggered on for four hours when he discovered a lonely tent with a European occupant who refreshed him and escorted him to the township. (Mr. Smith left London on Thursday and was last reported as leaving Reggu in Morocco for Gao on the Niger when he was nine hours ahead of Mrs. Mollison’s time.) ITALIAN’S VENTURE. ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA IN SEVEN DAYS. LONDON. March 13. A youthful Italian, Captain Robbiano, hopes to start on March 15 to fly from England to Australia in seven days, using a machine with a cruising range of 2700 miles and equipped with night-flying instruments.