NEW TWO-WAY RECORD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 50, 22 November 1937, Page 7

NEW TWO-WAY RECORD

•Pte»8 A 880.7

London to Cape and Back CLOUSTON'S SUCCESS

(By Telesraph-

-CopyrU'bt.i

(Received 22, 8.45 a.m.) / LONDON, Nov. 20. A large crowd watched Flying-Officer A. E. Clonston, the New Zealander, shoot from the mist and circle Croydon aerodrome four times to make a perfect landing. His fiancee dashed' through the poliee cordon, shouting: "I mnst be the first to weleome him," and as he emerged from the plane with some days' growtli of beard she embraced liim. Flying-Officer Clouston said: "I got here just as I said, but a little late for lunek. I was faced with a 60-miles-an-hour gale on the way home, but managed to battle tlirough successfully. We are delighted with our aehievements. ' '

Mrs. Kirby-Green, wlio accompahied Flying-Officer Clouston cn the flight, looked fresh. She said: "I feel fine, but I am glad to be home." Air-Commodore Robertson congratu--lated the fliers on behalf of the Air Minister. The flight took 57 hours 22, minutes, the flying time being 42 hours 9 minutes and the totaJ flying time for the round trip 77 hours 48 minutes. They thus captured the records for both the outward and homeward trips. The official time of landing was 3.25 p.m. The fiyers were hurried to a cai\ but it was most difficult to drive away owing to the enthusiastic erowds. Flying-Officer Clouston said that the trip was good as far as Cairo. There were headwinds all' along the Mediterranean, and they saw nothing but white spume and sea. Only tho winds caused them to refuel at Marseillesj otherwise they would have made the trip in oue hop. The plane stood up well.