CONQUEST OF THE AIR

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume XXIV, 3 January 1929, Page 3

CONQUEST OF THE AIR

(Per Press Association—-Copyright). MELBOURNE, December 31. Mr M. L. Shepherd, Secretary of the Defence Department, has been suspended trom duty. The reason is not stated officially, but it is understood that it is connected wivu the Civil Aviation Department. The Minister is reticent, as the matter is the subject of an inquiry. RUGBY, December 30. The Royal Aero Club yesterdav received an entry from Trance of a team of three aircraft lor the Schneider Maritime Trophy contest for seaplanes, which is to be held over the Solent next summer.

Italy has already entered, and there is a strong probability that the United States will also enter before the closing date, next Tuesday. Entries for the race from Germany as well as from America ere now expected by tile Royal Aero Club. —British Official Wireless. Entries for the Schneider Cup race which closed to-night, were received only from Britain, France and Italy.

The United States entered for the Schneider Cup by cable a few minutes before the closing of entries of which there are now ten —France, Italy and Britain each three machines and the United States one. LONDON, January I.

Captain Frank Hurley. FlightLieutenant Moir and Lieutenant Owens have scoured Europe searching for a suitab’e aeroplane in which to return to Australia, but they are unable to obtain one. Moir and Owens desire to fly back in a D.H. 50 machine. Captain Hurley is negotiating with a British firm to return to Australia by car, m which he will traverse the battlefields, Germany, Switzerland, Central Europe, Turkey. Gallipoli, Iraq, Persia, India, Burmah and the Dutch East Indies, taking films on route.

It is proposed ter return to England in September, and fly back to Australia in an attempt to beat SquadronLeader Bert Hinkler’s record. LONDON, Dec. 30.

The only phase of aerial supremacy for which Britain will make a big bid in the New Year, will be an attempt at a nonstop London to Capetown flight, in a giant Fairey monoplane. Although being secretly constructed and tried out at Cranwell under a rigid guard, it is known that the monoplane will have a single wing span of more than 80 feet. An

attempt will also be made at an altitude flight In an all-metal plane, with a supercharged engine. The pilot will wear electrically heated clothing and an oxygen mast.