ATLANTIC FLIGHT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 225, 17 June 1919, Page 5

ATLANTIC FLIGHT

THE VICKERS-VIMY EXPLOIT LANDING AT CLIFDEN REMARKABLE AIR VOYAGE By Telezrapli—Press Association-Conyrlght London, June 15. Alcock and Brown are well and in good spirits after their flight. The landing was most difficult owing to the boggy ground. The wireless propeller blew olf shortly after leaving St. Johns, and tho receiving'apparatus was much "jammed" by wireless messages not intended for the aviators. The flight occupied sixteen hours and twelve minutes. Arriving at the wireless station at Clifden they circled round the aerials looking for a landing. Finally thev slightly damaged' the machine by lauding in a Iwg. The Jlarconi staff rushed to their assistance, and found Brown dazed and Alcock deaf from th« shock of the landing. The stall' escorted the aviators triumphantly to the receiving house, where they soon fully recovered, i Brown stated that they were constantly in thick fog or mist; and sometimes found themselves (lying at eleven thousand feet, and at other times upside down ten feet from the water.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ' [The Vickers-Vimy aeroplane is a big bombing machine, equipped with two 8cvlinder liolls-Royce engines of 330 horse, power, giving a spesd of 90 miles per hour. Clifden, County Gaiway, is one of the most westerly parts in Ireland. The "wireless propeller" is a. small air-screw revolved by air pressure as the aeroplane travels, and drives a small dynamo to provide current for sending out wireless messages.!

A JOURNEY "WONDER WE ARRIVED AT ALL." (Rec. June 17, 1 a.m.) London, June 15. Alcock telegraphed to;the "Daily Mail": "The journev was terrible. It is a wonder we arrived at all. We scarcely saw the sun or tho moon. We plunged iuto a dense fcr, and the machine was sheeted in .frozen sleet for four hours, but the winds were favourable throughout, and we did not suffer from cold or exhaustion. One-third of our fuel was left The experience suggests that hying boats are best for the Atlantic."—United Service. ROYAL CONGRATULATIONS , ALCOCK A GREAT NIGHT FLYER. (Rec. June IG, 8.15 p.m.) London, June 15. The King and Queen have 6ent their wannest congratulations to aviators Alcock aild Brown. The latter will shortly be married to a daughter of Major Kennedy, one of the chiefs of tho Aircraft Production Department of tho .Ministry of Munitions. She is naturally delighted and almost overwhelmed at the result of the flight. The Aero Club describes the airmen s feat as "marvellous swiftness of transit, coming as a great surprise/' • ■ As soon as the machine is repaired Alcock will continue his journey. Ho proposes to give, an exhibition flight oyer London. Alcock made a great reputation as a night ilyer during the- war. The Vickers-Vimy machine used was an ordinary war machine, the only alteration being in the substitution of petrol tanks for bombs. ~ Hawker, interviewed, said that Alcock s feat was a .magnificent one. He was very clad that Alcock was able to make the flight in real fashion, without the aid of ships "and, all that kind of tliing."~Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.- • R34'S COMING FLIGHT (Rec. June 16, 8.15 p.m.) Lohdonj June 15. The Army airship R 34 made a most successful'trial flight prior to her Atlantic flight, and established wireless con-. nection with the Azores.-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.