Captain Percival as Plane Designer

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 37, 27 February 1937, Page 18

Captain Percival as Plane Designer

SYBNEY.— An effort is being made here for the retum to Australia of Capt. Edgar Percival, designer of the Percival Guir aeroplanes, one of which Miss Jean Batten used in her flight. from England to New Zealand. A move has been started to - persuade the Federal Government to secure his services for contemplated , national aircraft construction works. At the outbreak "of the Great War, Captain Percival, "a native of New South Wales, was experimenting with gliders. After having fought with an Australian ' Light Horse regiment in Egypt and Sinai, he transferred, early in 1917, to 'the Boyal Flying Corps, with wMch he was a pilot on the Palestine front, ■ . Eeturning to Australia after the Armtistice, h.e represented here an English aviation company, and did a great amount of commercial flying. In 1924 he won, an Australian light aeroplane competition. Some'years later he went to England, and th'ere perfected the plans for the"Gulls" over which he had experimented for. several years in Sy dney. Captain Percival . is no w one of England 's most successful aeroplane designers. The £1,000,000 aircraft manufacturing company reeently formed with the Commonwealth Government 's sponsorship is still in the infant stage. It has not yet decided on a site for its factory. The guide was showing a party of American tourists over' a noted church in London.' When they reached the belfry the guide said: — "TMs 'ere bell is a bit unusuak We on}y ring it on the oceasion of a viiit from the Lord Bishop, or when yre *ave ,a fire, flood, or some .such calamity."