THE CODOCK

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 61, 13 March 1934, Page 9

THE CODOCK

VERY SATISFACTORY

KINGSFORD SMITH'S; TESTS

H?HE GASMAN CROSSING

Particulars of the test'flights he made recently at Mascot Aerodrome, Sydney, of the Codoek tvro-engined monoplane to be flown, across the Tasman by Squadron-Leader White were given to a "Post" reporter today by Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. The famous airman stated thai; the machine came up to his highest-expectations, and in some respects exceeded them. After having tested the Codoek, Sir Charles, accompanied by Lady Kingsfora Smith, left Sydney "by the Monterey, and they arrived in Auckland on Saturday." On Sunday, the "old bus," the Southern Cross, which had been left behind in New Zealand, "was flown to Te Aroha, and to Takapau yesterday. Laterin the day Sir Charles, with Lady Kingsford Smith, left in the Southern Cross for Wellington, and the machine arrived at Rongotai shortly before 7 p.m. "There was a 50 miles an hour-wind blowing," said Sir Charles, "and it was not nice, but—well we got here. It was rather tricky coming down at Rongotai,- however, under the- conditions prevailing." Sir -Charles tested the Codock at Mascot for the first time in the air the day before he left Sydney on his return to ,Xew Zealand. "I made the tests myself," he added laughingly, "so that if it fell to pieces no one else ■would be killed." However, in response to a. naive question, he admitted that he did not have a parachute with him, and" that the tests were very satisfactory indeed. "On its initial flight," Sir Charles continued, "the Codock left the ground in 75 yards. Of course, she was only lightly loaded. The following morning I ; made two further test flights, which were- more comprehensive. With almost a;full commercial load aboard, she left the ground in 150 yards. Her cruising speed- under the conditions I have mentioned was about 125 miles an hour "with a .top speed of 140 to 145 miles per hour. Definitely she will fly and climb with that load with one engine out of. action. The new machine sis very manoeuvrable, and her landing speed was reasonably slow—in the vicinity 0f.,50 miles per hour. Altogether the machine came up to my highest expectations, and in some respects exceeded, them.-" TASMAN FLIGHT. Sir Charles said he hoped that the Codock would he ready in about two "weeks for Squadron-Leader White to bring across the Tasman. The machine is to laud at New Plymouth, but it is proposed to spend enly ten to fifteen minutes there for the purpose of a general check-over, for the flight is to finish at Auckland. Sir Charles said that, if he was still in New Zealand he would meet the Codoek at New Plymouth in the Southern Cross, and provided Squadron-Leader could throttle the new machine back far enough, he would escort it up to Auckland.. Commander Bennetts, late of the Royal Australian Navy, will accompany Squadron-Leader "White as navigator. Sir Charles said he did not think -a Tadio operator: would be coming, as the Codock would have such a simplified radio set that these .two men would Jb'o-able to operate it. ■ ;The Caddck was built -at Cockatoo Island Dockyard, 'Sydney, to the order of Sir Charles Kingsford- Smith, and apart;fi'oin her,two British,engines, sh,e is"en-BreryI'off Australian design and manufacture. In briefly describing the new'monoplane, Sir-Charles said it was about the ideal size for this country and Australia, where traffic lines did not,:-justify - the operation of trimotored Fokkers. It had been built on general Fokker principles, and the construction work was. faultless throughout. In appearance the machine was like the Southern Cross in miniature, with the exception that there were two engines instead of three, mounted up in the "wings. Sir Charles left Squadron-Leader White to carry out further tests in the machine. She will undergo- an overloaded test for the purpose of seeing how long she takes to get off the ground and a test with a weight up equivalent to the weight of the petrol, etc., for the Tasman crossing. ' It is also proposed to make a non-stop flight of about 1000 miles with a view to seeing how the engines settle down. Sir Charles said., that if everything continued as it wasaS present, he intended submitting the Codoek, with every hope of success, as the typo of machine to be used by the new company, Dominion Airways, Ltd., in New Zealand. He could supply, machines of this type cheaper than they could bo imported from elsewhere. SIR CHARLES'S ITINERARY. Accompanied by Lady Kingsford Smith, Sir Charles is to leave Wellington tomorrow at noon in the Southern Cross for Ikamatua on the West .Coast. On Friday, taking Press and amateur photographers, he proposes to- make a special flight from Christchurch to Invercargill, over the Southern Alps and Milford Sound. Various places in the South Island will bo visited subsequently. On March 24 Sir Charles will be at the pageant at Hastings, and on March 25 at Auckland. He will fly on March 26 to New Plymouth, where the extra fuel tanks and the mail for the return trip across the Tasman by the Southern Cross will be put aboard. Present arrangements provide for Sir Charles taking off from Ninety Mile Beach for Sydney on March 28 about 3 a.m. He said that Lady Kingsford Smith would not:be going with him on the flight across the Tasjnan. •