FLYING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 October 1930, Page 5

FLYING.

ENGLAND TO AUSTRALIA. SMITH REACHES DARWIN. Press Association Electric Telegraph—Copyright DARWIN, Sunday. Wing-Commander Kingsford Smith landed here at 1.56 p.m. Kingsford Smith arrived at Sourabaya at 5 o’clock on Friday and left for Atamboea at 5 o ’clock yesterday morning. He left the last-named place for Darwin last night, but returned to Atamboea.

Matthews left Dilly (Timor) at 9.10 a.m. yesterday, and arrived at 4.20 in the afternoon.

Matthews crossed the coastline forty miles aAvay from 'Darwin, and arrived from an unexpected direction. He picked up his bearings from the Ross Smith memorial obelisk, and glided in behind the backs of the crowd. MattheAvs’s first remark Avas: “I am jolly glad to see you folk. When I Avas taking off from Dilly this morning I saw tAvo other planes in the distance, which I recognised as Hill’s and Smithes. They hoA’ered about as if they Avislied me to accompany them across the Avater. I Avould haA’e been delighted, but in a few minutes Ave became parted, as my machine is faster than theirs.

“My actual flying time is thirteen days. I had a lot of hard luck, but my experience slioavs that a fast air service between England and Australia is quite feasible. ’ ’

Typical of the dashing English airmen, MatthcAvs, after he had SAvooped unexpectedly out of the blue on Dar-AA-in, first home in one of the greatest triangular air races of all time, was determined to stay at the aerodrome, although tired and dirty, until his brother airman Hill had arrived. This proved a Aveary and anxious A-igil of many hours in oppressiA’e heat. (Ominous fears greAV steadily with the dusk, and flares Avere prepared ready to be lighted, and Avhile the atmosphere AA T as tense with gloomy .speculations, word AA r as received that Hill had come doAvn at Dilly. . When MatthcAvs arrived he cheerfully asked: “Where is Hill?” The croAvd of excited onlookers Avere unable to supply tlio ans Aver. 1 ‘ Give him an hour,” went on MattheAvs. “I saAV him leave Dilly, but going in a different direction.” MattheAvs had a rest at the Golf Club, AA'here his health Avas drunk. He received many telegrams of congratulation. He had an easy trp from England, and is returning to London from here. He considers Smith a Avondorful aviator.

Matthews was received on arrival by the Mayor and Government Resident, 'Colonel' Waddell. He flew in a large yellow and silver aeroplane. There was a fair crowd on the ground, but his arrival was not expected. The heat and humidity were excessive, and the people were seeking shelter. Matthews brought a bottle of wine from the Governor of Bima to the Governor at Darwin. Matthews is going'to 'Sydney after all, and may leave Darwin on Monday. His aeroplane needs an overhaul before making the return trip. Hitherto Hinkler held the solo record between England and Australia, 154 days, accomplished in 1928. Kingsford Smith now holds it, his flying time being ten days seven hours. He started out from England on October 9th. •Captain Matthews began his flight oh September 16th, but lost time owing to a crash between Rangoon and Bangkok. He claims that his actual flyingtime was thirteen days. Hill’s time also was 13 days to the moment of his crash. He began his trip on October sth. 'Kingsford Smith has been the recipient of scores of congratulatory messages from all parts of Australia and abroad.

MOST-TRAVELLED AIRMAN. LONDON, Saturday. In an editorial appreciation of WingCommander Kingsford Smith, the "Daily Express” outlines his achievements. "His wings,” says the writer, "have girdled the earth. He is the most travelled of all airmen, and also one of the most modest. The more reason, then, why the Crown, always doubly appreciative of merit that refuses to obtrude itself, should honour with a knighthood the insatiable conqueror of the air. Not only would it be a graceful act. on the part of the Sovereign, but the whole Empire would rise thereto. ” COBHAM’S VIEWS. (Received Monday, 12.45 p.m.) LONDON, Sunday. Sir A. Cobliam says that Kingsford Smith’s feat ought to be an excellent example to the public. He hoped that it would impress upon the people of England the possibilities of flying providing that the organisation was sound. There was no earthly reason why any flying man with the necessary fitness and stamina sufficient to withstand the strain and monotony of sitting in a machine for ten to twelve hours a day should not do likewise. Kingsford Smith’s wonderful flight would be wasted if the public failed to recognise this.

Six A. Cobham is of opinion, however, that a seaplane should have been used between Calcutta and Australia. HILL HAS ACCIDENT. .WELTEVREDEN, .Saturday. Hill was obliged to land on the' seashore between Koepang and Atapoepol, when his ’plane overturned and the engine was damaged. Hill is safe. HILL’S DISAPPOINTMENT. LONDON, Saturday. “The mishap will-be a terrible disappointment to him, but the only thing that matters to me is that he is safe,” said Mrs Hill, who is leaving

for Sydney on October 20th, with her three-year-old daughter. “My husband and I arranged to spend his six months ’ leave in Australia, whatever happened. We are both Australians, and have not seen our people for a long time.”

“His heart has been set on this Australian flight for many years,” Mrs Hill added. “He has been speaking of it ever since the war ended, and plann-1 ed to go with a-friend years ago. He bought a machine, and' worked out every detail. Then, when his friend was testing the machine it crashed and killed him. At present he is on six months’ leave and half-pay. Ho wants to fly Home again, but I do not wish him to make the attempt.” A POIGNANT STORY. (Received Monday, 10.30 a.m.) DARWIN, This Day. At great as Kingsford Smith’s victory is the poignant story of how two Australians stood beside the wrecked plane at Atamboea and proved the .courage of one in adversity and the grief of the other in victory. 'Smith was flying from Sourabaya to Atamboea when he saw a machine apparently dismantled fifty feet from the aerodrome. He flew low and saw it was wrecked, so landed to see if he could be of any assistance and met Hill. His sporting action naturally delayed his flight to Darwin till Sunday. “There is deep sorrow in my heart for Hill,” said Smith to-day. “It was pitiful to see his machine smashed up, and .the gallant pilot lose all he fought for so pluckilv. His was a. flight infinitely more difficult, and therefore, a finer achievement than mine. He told me that he had run his machine the full length of the aerodrome, but it would not lift and the left wing caught on a fence. The machine then overturned and the undercarriage was damaged, the propellor broken in two, the wings smashed, the fuselage wrecked and other minor parts broken. As it was impossible to have the repairs done there I suggested that lie should go to Singapore, or have his plane shipped home. Although Hill’s face showed bitter disappointment he met me with a smile. ‘Have you a collapsible boat?’ he asked. I told him that I had not. ‘Then take mine,,’ he continued, ‘I don’t want it now.’ I had to look away to hide my emotions. I take off my hat to Hill.” GARDEN’S ATTEMPT. LONDON, Saturday. The aviator Garden’s mother made an eleventh-hour unsuccessful attempt to dissuade him from flying to Australia. He is not carrying a hat, and has only half a dozen sandwiches. He has no fixed schedule. RIVAL AIRWOMEN. NEW YORK, Saturday. At Roosevelt Field, New York, Miss Laura Ingalls completed the first woman’s eastward trans-Continental flight to-day from Los Angeles. Mrs Miller announced to-day that she would take-off to-morrow on a three-hop return trip to New Yoik, in an attempt to better Miss Ingall’s flight.