Kingsford Smith

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 228, 26 September 1931, Page 7

Kingsford Smith

AIRMAN PUSHING ON PASSED OVER SINGAPORE (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright] Received Sept. 25, 9.10 p.m. SINGAPORE, Sept. 25. Air-Commodore Kingsford Smith passed over Singapore at 11.15 a.m. He •dropped a message by means of a small parachute to a friend at the Singapore air base: “Sorry can’t stop. In real hurry this time.” NOT YET REPORTED. ANXIETY AT SYDNEY. Received Sept. 26, 1.15 a.m. •SYDNEY, Sept. 25. Victoria Point has not yet reported “Smithy.” Some anxiety is felt here. The aviator has chosen the following timetable:—First day, Wyndham to Cheribon (an emergency landing ground south-east of Batavia), 1532 miles; second day, Cheribon to Victoria Point, 1390 miles; third day, Victoria Point to Calcutta, 1196 miles; fourth day, Calcutta to Karachi, 1383 miles; fifth day, Karachi, to Bagdad, 1609 miles; sixth day, Bagdad to Athens, 1232 miles; seventh day, Athens to Paris, 1514 miles, Paris to Loudon, 217 miles. Total time, 7 days 14 hours.

The route for the return journey is: First day, London to Naples* 1191 miles; second day, Naples to Aleppo, 1307 ifiiles; third day, Aleppo to Bushire, 955 miles; fourth day, Bushire to Karachi, 1119 miles; fifth day, Karachi to Allahabad, 918 miles; sixth day, Allahabad to Rangoon, 1111 miles; Seventh day, Rangoon to Singapore, 1251 miles; eighth day, Singapore to Grogak (island of Bali), 1131 miles; Grogak to Wyndham, 1080 miles. According to the Mctorological Bureau, Melbourne, the worst part of the route is over the Straits Settlements, Siam and Burma, where communications, ground organisations, and weather advises are very poor. September is the time of the wet monsoon in India, and in October the close of the monsoon brings much better conditions. September is an extremely wet month over the difficult section from Singapore to Burma.

Kingsford Smith expects to complete the return journey in eight days four or five hours.

“If the engine keeps going; if the machine keeps turning over I’ll get through,” he said. “I know my machine; I do not say that in any boastful spirit. I have covered the ground before, and this end of the route four times; I see no reason for not keeping to the schedule. I am very keen to get back the record, ‘The Ashes,’ shall I call it? If I can win it will help aviation. ”