HINKLER’S FLIGHT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 21 November 1927, Page 6

HINKLER’S FLIGHT

REPORTS FROM WARSAW AVIATORS’ TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. AEROPLANE DAMAGED. London, Nov. 18. A message Horn h arsaw says that Mclntosli and Hinkler are sun m Lemberg, staying at an hotel, a representative or me Polish 'telegraph Agency got into telephonic communication with them at two o’clock tins (Saturday) morning, but they relused any information regarding the accident, saying that mey had sent telegraphic report to London. An earlier message said news was received in u arsaw from Lemberg that the plane Princess Xenia lett at 10 o’clock on Friday morning for London and a crash was reported by a British United Telegraph telegram. Presumably it occurred almost immediately. Much mystery prevails and there are many conflicting reports regarding Hinkler’s doings. Authentic news is still lacking, but Warsaw reports state that the Princess Zenia was so badly damaged in landing that it will be impossible to effect repairs locally. Two onlookers were struck and seriously injured by the machine when it was landing. Hinkler and Mclntosh left the 'plane in the care of the military authorities, to be sent to from which place, assisted by the British Consul, they entrained lor London.

Another message says the Princess Xenia's second descent was due to engine trouble and that Hinkler and Mclntosh are still in Lemberg, whither they travelled in a train, accompanied by the two men injured when the ’plane was landing. They reported the accident to the British Consul and the Polish authorities.—(A. and N.Z.)

HINKLER’S OWN STORY

ELEW FOR 12 HOURS IN

DARKNESS.

London. Nov. 19

A message received mini Leinburg gives Hinkler's ow n story. Alter flying for 24 hours thiough continu ous snowstorms they lauded ten miles inside- the Polish border, previously estimated to be near Astraknn. They had covered 2800 miles. After lending Flushing they flew for twelve hours in darkness through snowstorms. It was the most terrifying time they bad ever experienced Thev repeatedly lost control at a height of 5000 leet ami did not regain control until a tew hundred feet above tlm ground.

Navigation was impracticable land marks being blotted out, and More had to trust to the compass. Eventn. ally they were trapped among the mountains and blindly flew no and down among valleys, having L’ sharply bank every now and again to avoid hillsides.

The dawn showed a fogbank 8060 feet high. The cold was intense and the machine was covered in iee. Frozen limbs militated against control. They knew by dead reckonin'’' that they would be somewhere over Russia, and then decided to. head loi India. Three hours later, finding progress impossible, they turned back and sought a landing place. They landed safely on the rough surface of a ploughed field near Podhajce. Poland, watched by the populace of the village. The machine was escorted bv n waggon to flic police station some miles distant, and detained for hours until an interpreter arrived and was satisfied with their credentials

LANDED IN PLOUGHED FIELD.

They spent the next day in futile efforts to get a message through to England. With the help of the residents the following day they took off again m the direction of Warsaw Nearing Lemberg the weather became impossible and they were forced down and landed m a ploughed field. The machine fell forward on its nose, a wing-tip crumpling. A propeller blade snapped off. Hinkler and Mclntosh were shot out of the seat uninjured, the flights would have been successful if the weather was better. They maintained 110 miles a n hour for 24 hours.

The authorities offered Hinkler every possible assistance and placed a machine at the airmen’s disposal, but they declined as both are anxious that their own should be repaired. There i s a suggestion the fliclit may be resumed to India, but most likely they will stay at Lember" tn effect repairs and bring the machine home. Meantime they are being lavishly entertained. One of the injured peasants has a broken leg and ’he other severe bruises.—(A. and N.Z.i GILES'S MISFORTUNES TAKES OFF BUT IS FORCED BACK BY FOG 3an Francisco. Nov. 19. Against tihe advice of Weather Bureau officials. Giles hopped off at 8.17 this morning lor Honolulu. Twenty miles out he encountered n heavy fog. and was forced to jettison part of his gasoline and returned nt three minutes past nine to the Mill* field airport, having been in the sir barely three-quarters of an hour. As he climbed out of the cockpit ho stated that after passing the Sian Francisco lighthouse lie ran into n fog a bout 18 miles out, and it became so thick that it was impossible tn continue. Therefore, he dumped most of his 390 gallons supply of gasoline and headed back Giles slent at the field last night. He checked and rechecked his charts early in the morning while mechanics again inspected the ’plane. A light fog had drifted over the flying field during the night, but appeared to lift after dawn. Weather reports from the United States Weather Biiwm indicated that unfavourable conditions might be encountered between San Francisco and Honolulu hut Giles decided to leave anyway. Cnvtain Paterson. Giles’s manager, had urged him not to go and issued a statement that the departure was against Ins advice. NO RUBBER LIFEBOAT. Giles abandoned the idea ot taking ;> rubber lifeboat in order to avoid extra weight, lie declared that he is I confident the Wanda will remain I afloat almost indefinitely if forced I down on to the, water. I'lie airman carried a small life jacket and hand-

saw to cut the supports to drop the motor mto the ocean if necessary though he regarded the precautions as unnecessary, saying: ''l have got a good ’plane and it is in perfect condition.” He carried magnetic and earth inductor compasses, one and ahalf gallons of drinking water and r few sandwiches: also condensed emergency rations sufficient to sustain him for 30 days. The Wanda is named after a sister of Aubrey Mess, designer of the 'plane. Giles's plan was to rise fairly high after the take-off to enable him fn right the machine if it should fall into a tail spin. He announces that he will not attempt to hop off again to-day. but will probably do so tomorrow.—(A. and N.Z.)