ITALY TO LONDON IN SEVEN HOURS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 60, 4 December 1917, Page 10

ITALY TO LONDON IN SEVEN HOURS

GREAT NON-STOP FLIGHT

BY ITALIAN AIRMAN

Captain Lanriati, an Italian pilot, accompanied by Machine-gun Mechanic Tonzo as observer, recently made a non-stop flight from Turin to London. A new type of machine was used. The distance flown was 656 miles, and the time taken was 7 hours 20 minutes, or about 83 miles an hour. Warning was given of the flight, and British and Italian officers and Embassy officials were waiting at an aerodrome near London to witness the arrival. Captain Lanriati descended at 4 p.m., having left Turin at 9 a.m". There was a slight mishap at the landing, due to the pilot checking his machine too suddenly in order to avoid a crowd of spectators. Neither pilot nor passenger was hurt. The -journey was marked by some rough weather above the Alps. Both men were tired and hungry. This is the first non-stop flight from Italy to England. _ In May i last a British biplane, carrying five passengers, flew from London to Rome, 920 miles, with stops at Paris, Turin, and Pisa. A pre-arranged route was followd and splendid time kept. Captain Lanriati passed to the west of Paris and then followed a straight line to London. He carried with him, in addition to copies oF the "Gazeta de Popolo." an autograph letter from the King of Italy to King George, and letters to Mr. Lloyd George, Lord Dorbv, Mr. Balfour. Lord Montagu of Beaulieu. and the Lord Mayor of London. The journey from Turin was made in a Sia two-seater biplane, fitted with a 250 h.p. Fiat motor, and Captain Lanriati. cxnlained that it was in war trim, with a Fiat maehine-srun mounted ready for action. "I might have encountered hostile aircraft on the way and so I came prepared," he remarked, and one recalled that enemy airmen must have many old scores to pay off against one who has bombed their lines 25 times. "As a matter of fact I met ■nothing at all fill I reached England," he added. "Tho,air is a lonely region.". 120 Miles an Hour. "The most exciting and trying part of the time was going over the Alps," Captain Lanriati confessed. "We crossed in the region of Mont Ccnis. There was a good deal of mist and the wind across the valleys was rough. 1 was compelled to rise to between 11,000 feet and 12,000 feet. 1 estimate that the difficulties in crossing the Alps lengthened the journey by an hour. The railway had been-my guide on the Italian side, And I was very glad to pick it up again. < "Tho journey across France was covoned at an average height of about 7500 feet. I had no difficulty in finding my way and I made the ■' pace hot. At times we were doing nearly 120 miles an-hour, and the average speed for the whole journey was roughly 94 miles. We crossed tho Channel above Cape Grisnez, and two minutes after leaving the French coast sighted the cliffs of England. On getting over the land again I dropped to 2000 feet to pick up my bearings and then came straight on to London. There was an hour's supply of fuel in the tank when I landed." As to the air raid over London on the evening of liis arrival, Captain Lanriati expressed surprise that reprisals arc not carried out against tho Germans. "We have machines now," he said, "that could cai;ry us right into tho heart of Germany—my own flight shows what can be done—and if the German people, boasting about their freedom from invasion, were to experience » ffiw raids on towns they have imagined to be beyond reach of the enemy it would be a very rude shock to their self-complacency." llie Sia machine used by Captain Lanriati is a standard one of a type already in use by the Italian Flying Corps, of which large numbers are being produced.