Channel Flight

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 145, 22 June 1931, Page 8

Channel Flight

CROSSING MADE IN GLIDER SURPRISE FOR GERMANS [By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] Received June 21, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, June 20. While six pilots, including rhe German record-holder, Kronfield, were waiting at Boulogne in readiness to attempt to-morrow to win the Daily Mail's £lOOO for a cross-channel and return flight in a glider in one day, or £5OO for one-way flight, an Englishman, Lissant Beardmore, arrived in a glider unexpectedly at St. Ingleven aerodrome. Ho said left Lypne escortea by two ’planes, one of which towed him until he reached 14,000 feet, when Beardmore loosed the rope and glided down across the Channel. He enjoyed a good journey and was proud of the favt that an Englishman had been the first to accomplish the feat. KRONFIELD WINS PRIZE. PLUCKY RETURN CROSSING. Received June 21, 7.30 p.m. LONDON, June 21. The German record-holder Kronfield won the Daily Al ail’s £.lOOO prize for gliding across the Channel. Five pilots, of whom three were British, waited all day long to make the attempt, but weather conditions pre vented a start until the evening. Kronfield completed the return flight in the dusk. He used a blue glider of 98-foot span, the biggest in the world. Its weight was 6001 b. As he loomed up ini the sky he resembled an eagle. Escort ed by an aeroplane he glided across the Channel and arrived at Swingate, near Dover, after three-quarters of an hour’s flight. Ho re-ascended an hour later and re-crossed safely.

The Australian Drause thrice attempted to glide the Channel. Twice he reached 7000 feet, but the glider broke loose from the ’plane before it was sufficiently high to enable the attempt to bo made, and it was finally abandoned.

Kronfield’s return to France was plucky, because by the time he took off and was towed to a height of 10,000 feet and released, it was dark. When landing at St. Inglevert he said: “I am happy to be the first to make the double crossing. The glide from the English to the French coast occupied 20 minutes. I lost myself half-way across the Channel to England owing to bad clouds, and I thought it might end in a Channel swim instead of a glide.”