THE BIG AIR RACE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 62, 6 December 1919, Page 11

THE BIG AIR RACE

ROSS-SMITH AT SINGAPORE

A STORMY JOURNEY

(By Telegraph-Press Association-Copy ris?M London, December 4. Captain Koss-Smitli cables from Singauore on December i that he left Bangkok on December 2, at 7 a.m., and arrived at Singora at 1 p.m. Ho was escorted for the first fifty miles by four Siamese machines. The course was south along Hie east coast, of Malay Peninsula. Tho lil'st. (wo hours were good; then he ran into a. he.ivv monsoon, with rain. Tho wind was strong, but changeable, sometimes helping and sometimes against the machine. It was necessary to fly at 500 ft. for three hours, following the coast, nun. almost blinded by the rain, but the country was such that it was impossible to land, and he had to continue (lying under the worst conditions he had ever encountered. The last hour was better. The. aerodrome at Singora was bad, with stumps on the ground, and he had to land across the wind on a small cry patch, but came safely down with luck. Later, while taxying the machine, the tail skid caught in a root and broke .1 fit! ins. The damage was nor serious, but. lie decided that owing to the wrather he would be unable to reach Singapore without: more petrol, and wired to Penan? for some to be sent urgently. During the night there were heavy squalls, and the crew held the machine all night. Next oav there was'torrential rain, with wind. The skid was repaired, and the crew, wet through, worked at the innchine all day, but. kept cheerful. The petrol arrived in. the evening, but it was raininz too hard tn put it in. . "To-dav is my birthday. The weather .was bad, lint we decided tn try for Singapore, and left Singora nt 10 a.m., and arrived at Finsmrore a.t •>■" The take-off at Singora was very rough, but convicts had cleared the stumps. The. aerodrome was very wet m patches, but thov were lnckv to jiet off a ("-n--?. wind. 'I!.vr. fell all the way. They flew the whole inurney at from 2000 to 500 feet. At Singapore a huge crowd cave the aviators a grout reception; "T hope to reach Java on December 0 and Darwin on December 10. The Vimy and her crew arc well."—Ans.-N.Z. Cable Assn.