SIR JOSEPH WARD AS AVIATOR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1118, 5 July 1913, Page 4

SIR JOSEPH WARD AS AVIATOR.

FLYING AT HENDON,

It was decidedly appropriate that directly the Bleriot aeroplane Britannia became the property of the people of New Zealand, a New Zealander should have been rhe first person to test its capabilities, says the London correspondent of the Auckland Herald. The honour of so doing fell to Sir Joseph Ward, who divested himself ot silk hat and frock coat, donned a sporting coat and goggles, and went up in charge of Gustav Hamel. Sir Joseph had a “high old time,” round and round the aviation ground, at one time circling over Henden and at another over the country towards Willesden. Hamel is an exceeding skilful, if intrepid and daring, pilot, and he showed Sir Joseph many of the Britannia’s pretty ways. The machine banked and looked highly dangerous when turning to right or left, and volplaning also was indulged in. Finally, after several minutes in the air, the Britannia descended gracefully to earth, and came flying like a bird with outstretched wings along the ground, stopping in front of the enclosure, from whence the crowd shouted its hurrahs. Sir Joseph received a great ovation on stepping out of the machine. His face was wreathed in smiles, and he looked as if he had thoroughly enjoyed the flight. The occasion was the presentation to New Zealand of a new Bleriot monoplane by the Imperial Air Fleet Committee, a body of patriotic British citizens, of whom Lord Desborough is president and Sir Joseph Ward vice-president. The objects of the committee are twofold : (x) To draw the attention of the Empire to the imperative need of Imperial defence. (2 ) To provide complimentary first units of an Imperial air fleet for the aerial defence of the oversea Dominion.

It may be recalled that on April 17th, Gustav Hamel, with a passenger, flew on this machine from Dover to Cologne, a record trip of 340 miles in four hours 18 minutes. The total flying weight was 1729 lbs. It was after this wonderful performance that the Imperial Air Fleet Committee conceived the idea of purchasing the machine and presenting it to the New Zealand Government as the nucleus of one section of the great Imperial air fleet that is being created to defend the Umpire. Dady Desborough named the machine Britannia. The Hon. T. Mackenzie accepted the aeroplane on behalf of the New Zealand Government.

In conversation after the flight, Sir Joseph Ward said there was no doubt the machine was a magnificent one. He had never been up In on aeroplane before, and the sensation was an extraordinary one. From the moment the machine started it was impossible to hear one’s self speak, especially when going against the breeze, as the Britannia did. He was told to keep his cap well down over his ears, but it would not go over the ears, and this intensified the rushing of the wind, so that no other sound could be heard above the propeller. When the machine righted herself after banking steeply in rounding a corner, Hamel looked round and roared, “That’s all right,” and Sir Joseph replied “Yes” in his loudest key. The tilt round the corner was a sensational experience, and Sir Joseph Ward for some moments could see the earth straight beneath him, and had to get his arm out of the car and hold on to the gear to prevent himself losing his seat—an operation which left a bruise on his forearm. Hamel said the angle was fully 45 degrees, and the spectators corroborate this estimate. The airman said it was an angle he did not take if possible with passengers, though he had done it when alone in the aeroplane. One of the wings was depressed so low that it seemed as if the machine must turn over ; but, apparently, the wind catching the lower wing righted her again. Sir Joseph was up for a considerable time, at a height of 700 ft or Sooft, and for a while the machine was flying at 90 miles an hour.