THE NON-STOP RECORD

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 34, 10 February 1933, Page 7

THE NON-STOP RECORD

LOG OF MONOPLANE *

WEATHER OVER AFRICA

(BriUsn Official" Wlreles3.) (Received 10th February, noon.)' RUGBY, 9th February. The King has caused a message of congratulation to be sent to SquadronLeader Gayford ana Flight-Lieutenant Nieholette on tneir successful long-dis-tance flight from Cranwell to Walvis Bay. ■■;■'■- The Prince of Walesi speaking at the New Zealand dinner last night, alsopaid a tribute to the-pilots. Flying had so developed, he said, that, he felt that one of these days he might be able to fly to New Zealand, i Later details of the flight show that the airmen encountered very bad weather over Africa and for a long time s flew blind through the rain and haze. A dense desert dust storm put the automatic control mechanism out of action during the night, and strong head winds were encountered throughout the following day. ' _ Although they haft a' certain quantity of petrol left, which would lave enabled a f nrther distance to have been covered, it was desired to make a landing during the daylight. They actually passed Walvis Bay and were about 200 miles nearer Cape Town, when they decided to return. Thus, although they landed after 57 hours' flight at a spot 5340 miles from the point of departure thereby breaking the previous long distance record by 32S miles, the aistance actually flown wag approximately 6000 miles. • ■ ■ ■.■ The long-ctistance_ pilots were chosen from 300 Eoyal Air Force volunteers. They made a perfect landing in a gale of wind, and, having shaved and changed while in the air, showed no" trace of the strain of their great achievement. The Air Ministry to-day received from Squadron-Leader Gayfora a complete log of the 5340 miles record noustop flight. '-..'. The log shows very bad weather, including dust, haze, rain, and ■ heavy cloud, with poor visibility encountered over Africa. During Tuesday night the airmen flew practically the- "whole time completely blind. Gayford says that the engine ran faultlessly for the 57 hours 25 minutes they were in the air, and they did not experience one qualm' on its account throughout the whole flight. British pilots and British, machines now hold the three chief air records of the world:— 1931.—Speed, 407.3 m.p.h.: Flight-Lieut-tenant G. H. Stainforth, in a Supermarine Bolls-Eoyce seaplane. 1932.—Height, 43,976 ft: "Captain C. F. Uwins, in a Vickers Vespa. biplane, •with Bristol-Pegasus engine. 1933.—Distance, 5340. miles: SquadronLeader O. E. Gayford and FlightLieutenant Nicholette, in a Fairey Napier Lion monoplane. '