THE BIG AIR RACE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 33, 3 November 1919, Page 5

THE BIG AIR RACE

COLONEL DOUGLAS'S ATTEMPT . WELL EQUIPPED FOR SUCCESS (By Telegraph-Press Associalion-Copyrinht London. October 2!t. The next competitor in the Au.-tralian flight will be an-Alliance machine. The pilot proposes lo start in a few days. His engine is a 150-11.p. Napier-Linn, with a range of three thousand miles, a erni-ing speed of a hundred miles per hour, and a petrol capacity of 515 gallons. A sister machine recently lleiv to Madrid, a fIOO- . mile non-stop run, in 7} hours. The aeroplane is equipped with a most powerful wireless, on which the pilot, T.ieulen-ant-C'oloncl Poger Douglas, intends lo rely for navigation, especially over the difficult East Indian stage. The Dutch Government has promised all assistance, including the services of the liandoeng wireless station, which is one of the most, powerful in Hie world. Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas is 25 years of age. and hails from Charters Toners. Ho enlisted at the outbreak of Ihe war and served oil Thursdav Island jn connection with the expedition' to German New Guinea. Ito sailed for Kcynf in the .■ first convoy, and served in -France as it machine-gunner. He joined the Flying Corps in ISIB. anil became an instructor. ! Ho holds the D.'C.M. and the U.C. tenant Thomas Jinss is the navigator. ; Colonel Douglas \ considers that directional wireless alone affords a chance of successful flight. His »rapn«pd .route to Australia is bv Ttaly. Greece. Egvpt, Bagdad, Karachi, Calcutta, and. Rangoon. [Directional wireless is used at sea, lo : enable ships to find their positions with accuracy when signals are received from two or more land station l ;.V Captain Howell's ilartinsyde machine is nearly completed. A start for Australia is expected in the near fiiiure. The petrol lanlc capacity has been increased to enable the machine to remain in the air over ten hontg.—Alls.N.Z. Cable Assn. . '• DOUGLAS STARTS. ! (Rec. November 2, 11.5 p.m.) London, November 1. Douglas, on board an Alliance aeroplane, will leave for. Australia at S a.m. ■ to-day—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. :