THE CENTAURUS

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20389, 4 January 1938, Page 8

THE CENTAURUS

DEPARTS FOR DUNEDIN TAKE-OFF AT LYTTELTON UNNECESSARY TO RE-FUEL (By Telegraph.—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday With her giant wing and four whirling propellers glinting pale and silver in the thin though friendly, sunshine of early morning the Imperial Airways flying-boat Centaurus presented a magnificent appearance as she took off for Dunedin from Lyttelton harbour this morning.

The morning, though overcast with occasional patche-s of blue struggling through, was fine and fresh with a light north-eyst wind blowing up the harbour.

At 5.10 a.m. Captain Burgess and Ii is officers arrived by car from Christchurch and sharp on the stroke

of six o'clock, following a brief inspection by one of the officers, from the upper inside of the wing two outboard motors roared into action and. wheeling towards Gladstone pier, the Centaurus taxied towards the moles. All four motors were running by this time.

Wheeling three times, with the motors slackened at the turns, the flying boat faced into the easterly wind .just off the end of moles, and at 6.7 a.in. she gathered speed and prepared for the take-off. With foam and spray churning beneath her hull and floats, she increased -speed and with a run of about 400 yards she took off up the harbour. Bising slowly the Centaurus made straight for the heads, but, wheeling to the right when halfway down the harbour, she returned and zoomed over the heads of the watchers below. In five minutes the Centaurus was but a small black speck in the sky which showed clearly for a minute or two as she veered south-west over Gebbie’s Pass. Although it was stated yesterday that 300 gallons of fuel would be taken aboard at Lyttelton, this was not so. Captain Burgess said last evening it was found unnecessary to refuel. This will be done at Dunedin to-day. ARRIVAL AT DUNEDIN GREETED BY THOUSANDS AN UNEVENTFUL TRIP (By Telegraph.—Press Association' DUNEDIN, Tuesday In a dull, but fine morning with a north-east wind blowing fairly fresh up the harbour and flying at an altitude of 1500 feet the Centaurus circled twice over the city at 7.33 a.m., finally berthing at 7.55 a.m. Thousands watched her arrival from the wharves, and roadsides on both sides of the harbour, and also the surrounding hills. The harbour master and officials went aboard and welcomed Captain Burgess to his home town. Captain Burgess and his officers then were taken ashore to their hotel before the official reception. A dense bank of fog was encountered by the flying boat when approaching Dunedin through the Otago heads which were completely shut in. The navigators found the opening to Port Chalmers, with Dunedin perfectly clear. That was the only incident in an uneventful flight from Lyttelton, which was left at 6 a.m.. Banking steeply the Centaurus gained a height of I*2oo feet, which was maintained throughout the trip.

The weather was dull but visibility good. Captain Burgess took the machine inland about 10 miles over Ashburton. A course' was then set for Timaru which was circled at 6.50 a.m., until Port Chalmers was sighted through a break tn the fog. That was the last seen of ground or sea. The passengers aboard were the Hon. F. .Tones, Captain Burgess senior, the Hon. Cochrane, Group-Captain Wilkes, Wing-Commander Tsitt, Messrs N. S. Falla, and F. M. Clarke, Commander Blythe and Commander Gu-sch L. Mangham. The first act of Captain Burgess After the civic reception was. accompanied by his father, to visit the house where he was born. CIVIC RECEPTION TRIBUTES TO THE CAPTAIN (By Telegraph.—Press Association) DUNEDIN, Tuesday The airmen were welcomed by "Mr W. Begg chairman of the Harbour Board;, the Mayor, (Rev. E. T. Cox;, and the Hon. F. Jones, tributes being paid to Captain Burgess on a perfect landing. Captain Burgess, in replying, said it was a great day for him personally to arrive back at the place of his birth. The Centaurus has been refuelled, taking 600 gallons from tanks on the barges. OAMARU MISSED - PASSED WELL OUT AT SEA (By Telegraph.—Press Association) OAMARU, Tuesday Due to the early morning flight of the Centaurus. the Oamaru people were keenly disappointed at not being able to see the flying boat which passed well out at sea. A heavy fog which enveloped the town at 7 a.m.. had lifted entirely an hour later. FLIGHT OVER HAMILTON Providing weather conditions are favourable the Centaurus will llv over Hamilton on its way to Auckland tomorrow. No definite time has been given but the tlying-boat is flue in Auckland at 6 p.m.. so should pass j over Hamilton between 5 and 0 o'clock. (Continued in next column;

PASSED OVER TIMARU GREETED BY MANY CITIZENS (By Telegraph.—Press Association) TIMARU. Tuesday The Centaurus passed over Timaru. circling tlie borough at 6.i5 a.m., her appearance being greeted by many citizens.