THE BIG AIR RACE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 49, 21 November 1919, Page 7

THE BIG AIR RACE

ROSS-SMITH AT CAIRO SHORT-CUTS ACROSS THE MEDITERRANEAN By Telesraph—Press Association—Copyright : Cairo, November 17. i Cantain Koss-Smitli, in tho VickersVimy machine, has arrived—Aus.-N.Z. Gable Assn. [Captain Ross-Smith loft England on tho morning of November 12, and reached Lyons in Gi hours. Ho flew thence to Pisa and Eomo, autf apparently thonco via Taranto, to cross tho Mediterranean. Tho crossing of tho Mediterranean is reputedly very risky. This stago was avoided by Poulet, who did not traverse any stretch of sea between France and India.! Sydney, November 20. A special message to tho Syonoy "Sun" from Captain Itoss-Suiith shows that the journey from Homo to Suda Bay was marked mostly by wina' and rain. Tho uarty flew low over Mount Vesuvius, but the weather was too bad to obtain photographs. Crossing the Mediterranean From Suda Bay they had to fly at two thousand feet most of tho way, owing to clouds and rain. It took two and a half hours to strike tho African coast at Solium,, Thence they flew across tho Desert to' Cairo. Thirty flying hours hnvo so far been . occupiod, mostly through rain and storms. Tho greatest assistance was rendered at tho aerial route stations. Tho machine is going perfectly.—Press Assn. DANGERS BY THE WAY / . ■ POTJLET'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE ARABS. - Paris, November 17. Poulet's encounter with tho Arabs led to bloooshed. Tho natives attacked him nnd several were wounded.—Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn. POULET'S TROUBLES. (Rec. November 20, 10.30 p.m.) London, November 19. Poulet cables from Naiserabad:—Tho oil ta.nk of tho aeroplane has como unsoldored. lam making repairs. I have had great troublo on tho voyage sinco lcavine Paris."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. THE SURBITON TRAGEDY London, November 17. At tho inouest; into the deaths of Lieu-tenant-Colonel Douglas and Lieutenant Ross, who wore killed nt Surbiton by tho crashing of their Alliance noroplano ns tliev were starting on tho flight to Australia, tho Coroner returned a verdict of accidental death. No blame, ho said, attached to the designers or makers of tho aeroplane or tho engines. General Rialcy represented Australian Headquarters, nnd Lieutenant Bourko, of Australia, represented tho airmen's friends. Eve-witnesses, describing tho accident said they saw the aeroplane emerging from the clouds- at fivo hundred or a thousand feet. The machino dipped as though voluntarily descenoing, nnd then spun down, out of hand. The pilot apparently mndo a great effort to straighten out, and appeared temporarily to irain control: then a "clock-wise" spin began, and continued until the crash. Mr. ,T. A. Peters, who designed the aeroplane, and who piloted a similar machino from London to Madrio', and was one of the first to fly Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas's mnchine, gave evidence. He said Douglas and Ross wero trained in every detail, in order to deal with repairs on route. Tho machine w,is in perfect condition when it started. It weighed less than GOOfllb., this being 4001b. less than the weight of tho mnchine witness had flown to Madrio'. An examination of tho wreckage, nnd subsequent .stripping of tho engines, showed no mechanical defect. Witness produced Lieutenant Rom's brief log, which throws no light on tho accident. Thero is a singlo entry, recording an altitude of 1200 ft.. wlien, the machine left Hounslow. _ Witness's theory was that tho machino camo out of' the cloud in a spin, with tho engine cut off. Tho pilot apparently put its noso down, in order to straighten out, but had insufficient altiluo'e to right himself. Mr. Peters produced a letter from Lieu-tenant-Colonel Douglas, written on October expressing the greatest satisfaction with tho machino, nnd full confidence in his successful flight, and subsenuent airwork in Australia in connection with exploration, etc. Witness added that during the preliminary flight, on October 30. there was a slight crash, necessitating the' replacing of one plane and a portion of the chassis. When t.ho machine circled over the nerodromo beforo its departure everything seemed to be richt. The engines wero running well, obviously thrnttlea' down. Miss Mabel Woolley, Lieutenant-Col-.onel Douglas's fiancee, intervened whilo Mr.' Peters was giving evidence, and made o passionate protest that tho airmen were allowed to depart without tho machino being thoroughly tested. She declared that Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas fold her that no test had been ma'de with the full wireless equipment aboard, except from Acton to Hounslow. Sho nsked angrily if a five minutes' flight was a sufficient test for the journey to Australia. Mr. Peters saio.' the machine was in the nil- for three-quarters of an hour on the previous day. A friend of Lieutenant-Colonel, Douglas in the public gallery constantly attempted to nut. questions regarding the flying tests between October 30 nnd the day of departure, nnd declared that tho court was "packed," and asserted that the Coroner was failing in his duty. The Coroner oroered the police to remove the interiector. After medical evidence had l»en given,, the Coroner summed up. He said that no doubt the Air Ministry and (lie Austrnlinn authorities would investigate the noints rnised irregularly. He had no doubt the deaths wero due to accidental causes.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. PASSENGER AEROPLANE'S FATAL CRASH Madrid, November 17. A French aeroplane, flying at great altitude nnd carrying seven men, fell near Gundnlaiara, nnd three wero killed nnd the others badly injured.—Aus.-N.Z. Cnble Assn.