Untitled

Hokitika Guardian, 1 April 1933, Page 4

The cable news dining the week lias stated that though the expedition that is to attempt to fly over Mt Everest is ready to start, the weather conditions prevented the carrying out of the 'proposal. Squadron-Leader the Marquess of Clydesdale is the chief pilot of the Mount Everest flying expedition which is being financed by Lady Houston. He is accompanied by Air-Commodore P. F. M. Fell owes (the leader), Flight-Lieutenant JO. F. Mclntyre and Air Bonnet, cinematographer. Two West la n d-AVal lace aeroplanes are to start from the .Royal Air Force, bar? at Pumea, 260 miles north of Calcutta, and 160 miles from Everest, and to cross the jealouslyguarded frontier of Nemrl. Thence they will flv 13,002 ft. above savage wilderness and pathless jungle until Everest, which has hitherto appeared as one peak among many, stands alone and peerless. The airmen will take in ere a "dry draughts of pure oxygen, the containers of which will be electrically heated to prevent freezing. The summit of Everest over which it is lioned is fly towers up to a height r'i 29,141. feet. The ambition of the members of the expedition is to so r.re for Britain the honour of conquering Everest, while air survey photographs will a,uonly important scientific and georgraphicnl data. The fact that the North and South Poles

have, been reached by foreign machines renders it the more important that Everest, which is the greatest geographical object remaining, should bo attained, thus further stimulating British aviation enterprise. The possibility of engine failure has been reduced to a minimum by exhaustive experiments. One of the machines to be used was tested at Yeovil, Somerset, on January 25. It reached a height of iJS,COO feet. In a further test at Karachi, on March 15, one of the aeroplanes climbed up to 34,000 feet in 90 minutes. Flight-Lieutenant Mc-u Intyre was the pilot. Mr Bonnett, who wa <s with him, put his head outside the cockpit. He quickly found conditions impossible, as the wind penetrated his oxygen mask, dispersing the oxygen and making him feel ill. 'i'n© temperature was minus 45 degree?:. Each machine is equipped with a Bristol Pegasus 600 horse-ioower engine. The flight, from the base to the summit of Everest and back is likely to occupy -six bonus. The actual passago to the summit will be einematograpbed ii.ml the observers’ impressions recorded on a dictaphone. As a precaution against frost-bite the exposed parts of the airmen’s bodies will be copiously oiled. The fliers will also wear electrically heated suits. They "•ill carry special “iron rations” in the event of a forced landing in some remote valley.