ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 248, 19 October 1937, Page 7

ENGLAND-AUSTRALIA

TWO ATTEMPTS ON RECORDS SYDNEY, Oct. 18. The Sydney Morning Herald says that circumstances are conspiring towards an almost simultaneous start from the opposite ends of the earth of two attempts on the solo flight record between England and Australia by Mr H. F. Broadbent and Miss Jean Batten. At the week-end, Mr Broadbent was preparing his ’plane at Hanworth aerodrome, England, for the hop-off “in a couple of days” for Australia. Miss Batten’s plans for an earlier start from Darwin have been upset by the excessive oil consumption of her ’plane on the flight to Darwin and the engine will be overhauled before she leaves for London, probably on Tuesday. The two re-cord-breaking aspirants should therefore pass one another about midway in their flights. During her stay at Darwin, Miss Batten is guest at Government House. TIMOR SEA CROSSING RESCUE PRECAUTIONS TAKEN Received Oct. 18, 9.10 p.m. DARWIN, Oct. 18. Arrangements have been made for the Government patrol-boat Larrakia to stand by while Miss Jean Batten is crossing the Timor Sea to-morrow. The Larrakia has proceeded 100 miles across the sea and will remain there until the aviatrix is reported safely across. The Dutch authorities have agreed to have seaplanes on the other side in readiness for any emergency. Miss Batten will take off, weather permitting, at 6 a.m.