NON-STOP AIR RECORD

Wanganui Chronicle, 3 October 1946, Page 5

NON-STOP AIR RECORD

PERTH TO OHIO

>. AMERICAN PLANE’S FEAT

New York, Oct. 1.

The Lockheed Neptune plane “Truculent Turtle,” landed at Columbus (Ohio) at 5.28 p.m. It flew a distance of 11,237 miles in an unofficial time of 55 hours 18 minutes. The Turtle exceeded by 3321 miles the non-stop record of 7918 miles established in November by an army Super-Fortress. The Turtle left Perth at 6.10 p.m. on September 29.

The Turtle was welcomed by army and navy officials, who flew to Columbus from Washington and Chicago. The four members of the crew will be examined immediately for fatigue. The crew emerged looking tired and haggard.

Commander Davies said: ‘"We had a fine trip, but had all the weather we could find. Once we picked up thousands of pounds of ice.” The Turtle bucked head winds all the way to the west coast of the United States with cold weather and ice. Just off America, Commander Davies thought the Turtle could be flown to Washington, but he did not have enough petrol reserve. The petrol gauges were inaccurate, and the crew decided to "play it safe and land in one piece.” CREW DECORATED. Recd. 8.40 p.m. Washington, Oct. 1. The Turtle’s crew arrived at Washington in a Navy transport plane, and were met by the Navy Secretary, Mr. J. Forrestal, who decorated each with the D.F.C. The Turtle itself arrived only a minute later, piloted by a Navy test pilot. When the Turtle landed at Columbus it had more than 100 gallons of petrol left of the 7400, with which it left Perth. The National Aeronautic Association’s contest board, which passes judgment on aviation records, has announced that a calculation of the Turtle's flight was at present approximate. An official distance would not be determined until the reporting forms filled in by the plane’s crew were studied.

The distance is computed on the “great circle route,” the circumference of the circle on which the plane passes through the earth’s centre. Special maps were used, and the course is measured in small segments. The Turtle’s crew had hot meals throughout the trip, mainly steaks and soup prepared on an electric stove.