IN CHINA'S AIR FORCE

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 21, 18 October 1937, Page 7

IN CHINA'S AIR FORCE

Former N.Z. Journalist

TASMAN FEAT RECALLED

' HOKGKONGj Oct. 5. Mr. R. G. Whitehead, the young Tasman flier, formerly of Wellington, New Zealand, and Mr. W. Vyner-White, haVe joined the Chinese Air Porce. Mr. Whiteheild has done commercial flying in Australia and New Guinea, but Mr. Vyner-White 's flying has been confined to East Africa. SqUadfdn-Leader GafUett Malley, the Austraiian chief of the Chinese Air Porce, 'kew to the outskirts of Canton, Where he picked them up and fiew them to Nanking. Mr. Whitehead, Trhe is 27 years old, Was formerly a journalist in Wellington, where his parents reside. In November, 1984, accompanied by Mr. E. R. Nichoil, of Sydney, he made a spectacular flight from Gerringong beach, New South Wales, to East Beach, South of Houhora Heads, North Auckland. The flight was made in a four-year-old Puss Moth machine, the Paith ill New Zealaud, the certificate' of aifworthiness of which had been cknCelled by ,the Austi'alian aUthorities. Tho crossing, described as Without incidentj took 14 hours 40 mittutes. .The inost elementary forms of nagivatioUal iilstrumentS wero carried and the iuachino was withoUt wireless equipment. The airmen set out ,to land at New Plymouth, but owing to poor visibility deeided to turn north ward. No news had been heard of them since the take- , o£E and fears for their safety began to grow when they failed to reach fho appointed place. They made a safe landing at dusk on the lonely northern beach, where they lit a fire and Spent the night. At dawn they took off again And flew to Mangere, which they had littla difficulty in finding in the daylight Their arrival, 24 hotirs ai'ter leaViilg Australia, caused surpriSO aiid excitement, although when the machine inada its unheralded landing there Wero ohly two persons there to greet them. They wero sUbsequently Charged ih tho Auckland Magistrate's Court with breaches of the regulations under the Air Navigation Act. They wCto convicted and discharged. After the Tasman flight Mr. Whitehead engaged in commercial aviation in Australia. Early this year he left for New Guinea to take up an appoihtmerit witli Guinea Airways, Limited, Prom New Guinea he went to China.