AVIATION

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1928, Page 3

AVIATION

ITALIA ORDEAL. FURTHER DETAILS. Australian Press Assn.—United Service LONDON, Aug. 10. Malmgren cooked tliu first meal—pemniiean in a petrol tin. All drank out of tlie same cup. The taste was strange and unpleasant, but thereafter they overcame their distaste. Malingren’s departure with Mariano and Zappi depressed fis, but the belief that they would succeed, and send relief earlier, cheered us up afresh. The wireless daily sent out signals, but Uiagi’s remark. “I hear nothing.” was soon too familiar; nevertheless he heard San Paolo wireless station near Rome, stating that relief measures had begun. Larsen and Amundsen were joining in the search. We hoped they would look eastward, besides the west, where the Italia’s false bearings suggested we might be. San Paolo’s announcement that an amateur partly heard our signals gave Bingi new energy. He tapped messages hourly until we fen rod the accumulators would give out. Finally the Citta di Milano hoard us, and we know the worst anxiety was over. It might he reasonable to expect Nobile, with a broken arm and leg. and Ceeeioni with a broken leg, lacking medical rid would despair, but a man of Mobile’s qualities does not lose hope. Ceeeioni, who steered the airship Merge to safety after its moorings vere broken, was unlikely to suffer rom Polar psychosis. On the conrarv, when the others were sleeping. ie would spend the night measuring in the map the time the Krassili could take to reach us. Similarly, liagi was always ready at the sign, i-hile Viglieri measured the position almly as on the deck of a warship in ieace time. Trojan was our philosphieal engineer, who cooked hear leat. and chocolate when the menu nproved. Nevertheless there were loments of depression and fear, when lie wind opened new channels around he tent and the floe melted, flooding ie tent; when out footwear crumbled, r there was some ill of gastric fever r rheumatism, and als<> when Lundirg crashed in a fog and handicapped the fliers while the floe was driven seaward; but there was no sign of Polar psychosis. Ltmdhorg was amazed at our good spirits. T am sure Lundborg did not say, as reported, that we were mad or quarrelling. The only argument Lundborg heard was whether it was advisable to get Ccccioni ashore. That was the only argument I remember. While the newspapers were reporting us as insane, we were playing chess and checkers. 1 do not want to exaggerate our morale. We realised the dangers of the situation, and were chiefly pessimistic, hut did not talk thereof. There is a grain of truth in the phrase “Polar psychosis ” which compounded spite and hatred for ice and perhaps fear thereof. We called it “terror of packice,” hut we did not succumb to it. The aviators experienced a similar feeling, which might explain why Shyberg did return on the night whereon he rescued Lundborg, although the base was only about fifteen mmites’ flying distance. The feeling might well stop even an airman as plucky as Shyberg proved to he, when without faltering he landed on the ice to take off Lundborg.

SOUTHERN CROSS. PERTH, August 17. It is expected that the Southern Cross will leave Perth on Sunday morning for Tnmmen, 110 miles away, where it will load, starting in the evening for Adelaide, which should he reached on -Monday morning. A NEW “ BREMEN.” HEREIN, August l(i. President llindenburg at the launching of the liner firemen, was enthusii asticallv cheered when he emphasised the great losses in German shipping owing to the Versailles treaty, which nevertheless could not crush the belief in the new German future on the sea. In christening the Bremen, the President said he wished her to be a fresh tie between Europe and America, and added: “Let the Bremen be a warning that only through the united strength and concentrated will can Germany restore and reassert her former position in the world.” PROPOSED AIR. TRIP. ' LONDON, August 17. London to Rio in eight days is the latest development with an air .mail weelky service, in conjunction with steamships. English letters will reach Cape Verde Islands by aeroplane via London, Toulouse, Dakar. The steamship conveys them to Fernando Noron-. ha, thence they go by aeroplane to Brazil and Buenos Ayres. Brtiish air mails are steadily increasing, a hundred thousand pounds Were carried in 1927. The routes are now open throughout the Empire, as lai ns I asra, ahd to Moscow and Constantinople, BRITISH ENDURANCE TEST. LONDON, August 1(5. Capntin Broad left Stag Lane'in a Gipsy -Moth, in an attempt to heat the existing light aeroplane endurance lecord. . The flight is confined to the British Isles. The machine carried 21 hours’ fuel in the shape of 80 gallons of petrol, equivalent in weight to lour men.

ENDURANCE FLIGHT. (Received this day at 9 a.m A LONDON, August 18

Captain H. Broad made a record light aeroplane flight in a Gyspy Moth. He has been in the air seventeen hours and is still flying around Edgware at five thousand ‘foot, beguiling the time reading a book. He was so absorbed that he did not notice for some time, another Moth which flew up to greet him.