SMITH’S PLANE

Hokitika Guardian, 23 December 1931, Page 5

SMITH’S PLANE

CRASHES IN BRITAIN. ■[United Press Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, December 21. The airman, Allen, had a smash in King-ford Smith’s plane, the Southern Star. He left Ham hie at 3.30 this afternoon in the plane with two.hours’ supply* of petrol. This normally is j ample for a short flight. Darkness, however, was setting in. Allen flew into a murk, in which is wa s impossible to see the Neon beacon, at Croydon, or the Hares which were fired at Croydon when lie did not appear, although tlie flares reached a height of 1200 ft. Allen, thereupon Hew in an. easterly direction in order to come in on the Continental route. He informed Kingsford Smith, by telephone, that he was flying above Orpington, and that his petrol was, fast bring consumed. Allen decided to land on the first seemingly level patch. He discovered that it was an orchard, and into the orchard he crashed, humping into a fairly large tree. He shut off the engines, which remained intact. The wheels of the plane were torn off, the undercarriage was smashed, the fuselage was strained, being pierced by a small tree, and the propeller was broken. Allen assured Smith that there was no major damage, and that the wings were intact,

Asked if it hurt, Allen replica: "You cannot hurt a Scotsman, except for his feelings,’ 1 Kingsford Smith hopes that the delay will not exceed four or five days. He is determined- to get the air mail to Australia. He said: “I am never. free from worries while on the ground. I’ll he glad when I am able to rest and recover in the air.’’ ft PASSENGERS UNINJURED. LONDON, December 21. The Southern Star, which was piloted by Allen, also carried two passengers, including Mrs Cooper, of Southampton. The plane was flying to Hamble after reconditioning at Croydon, in readiness for a mail flight tomorrow. . The Southern Star lost it s way in the mist, and made its forced landing in the orchard at Crocken Hill, in Kent. Striking the trees, it damaged its propellor and undercarriage. The occupants were not injured, but were lightly shaken. An eye witness. says that it would have been a perfect landing if trees had not intervened. The Southern Star still lies in the orchard. PLANE EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED. LONDON, December 21. A Inter report says that the undercarriage of the Southern Star was smashed. One engine was half-buried in the ground. 'The wirfgs «re out or alignment. The police are guarding the wreckage throughout the night. Engineers will dismantle the plane to-morrow for repairs, which will entail a complete rebuilding.

MAIL SERVICE UNCERTAIN. LONDON, December 22. The Post Office has not yet arranged for the mails t 0 go by another plane, in place of the Southern Star. Kingsford Smith has had informal talks with the Air Ministry, but it is understood that owing to the absence of- Colonel Brinsmead, no further concrete plan for a regular Anglo-Austra-lia air service has been formulated. MAILS FOR AUSTRALIA. , LONDON, December 22. The Post Office has collected sevemyfive thousand letters for the Southern Star, which is being strongly guarded against souvenir hunters. SOUTHERN STAR. RETURN DELAYED. (Received this day at 9.25 a.m) LONDON, December 2SfKingsford Smith’s return has been delayed indefinitely as no other machine is available. He must await repairs to the Southern Star, to which the damage is apparently more severe than was at first thought. The Post Office is holding seventy thousand letters addressed to Australia and New Zealand.