AVIATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 20 December 1927, Page 2

AVIATION.

(Australian & N.Z. Cable Association. SMITH TAKES THE AIR. SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 18. Kingston Smith and Lieutenant Pond in the " Spirit of California ” took off before 8.30 this (Sunday) morning, in an attempt to break the world’s sustained flight record*. They have now been twelve hours in the air, and are still going well. Smith, reporting by radio, said he had trouble with the tail flutter at the take-off. hut he did not expect anything would break while in the air. “ I will go through with the flight or go down with tile plane” was Smith’s concluding message. As darkness enveloped the bay Smith turned on the light ijf the machine which lnuLMlius given the appearance of a huge firefly hovering over Sail Francisco Peninsula, around which the plane continues circling interminably. WORLD’S AIRCRAFT. (Received this day at 9.30 a.m). LONDON. Dee. 19. Jones’ annual publication while dealing with the world's aircraft developments, authoritatively describing the types of no fewer than fifty countries. strongly comments on the secret policy of France, who bluntly refused to divulge any details of the number and capabilities of - machines. Jones nevertheless gives remarkable figures revealing that France lias outstripped the world militarily and possesses more machines that the rest of the Powers combined.

He similaily points out that Oeimany dominates commercially. Lufthanso owns 140 air liners, linking up the whole of central Europe from Baltic to the Mediterrancna. Britain compares badly with a mere twenty liners, operating on half a routes. Nevertheless British military airships, though fewer, are wonderfully oflicient. possessing the fastest types, together with an all round high standard of performance.

A FLYING EFFORT. PARIS, Dee. 19. Colonel Anthoviant and crew took off from Le Bourgot at 3.30 this morning on route to Haandi. The weather forecast is favourable and they hope to accomplish the journey in five days via Rome, Athens, Aleppo, Basra, Karachi and Calcutta. LINDBERG’S AfOTHER. NEA\ r A'ORK, Dec. 19. A message from Detroit says All’s Evangelic Lindbergh took off as a passenger en the first lap of a- flight to Arexico City, to spend Christmas with her son.