THE ISLANDS FLIGHT

Southland Times, Issue 20080, 18 January 1927, Page 10

THE ISLANDS FLIGHT

AIRMEN TELL THE STORY. LEADER REPLIES TO CRITICISM. ENGINE TROUBLE AND BAD WEATHER. During the 10,000-mile Island flight, Group-Captain Williams and his companions met many people who expressed various opinions concerning the enterprise and the machine. One small boy at an outlying part in the Islands asked the group-captain who owned the seaplane. “It is the property of the Commonwealth Government,” he explained affably. “Oh, well,” rejoined the youngster, “then you can crash at any time.”

Many interesting stories of this nature were recounted in a simple manner by Group-Captain Williams during the course of a speech which he delivered on 17th December at the Oriental Hotel, Melbourne, reports the Age. The occasion was a complimentary dinner which members of the Aero Club tendered to Group-Captain IL Williams, Flight-Lieutenant J. E. Mac-In-tyre, and Sergeant G. Trist. There were many distinguished members of the Army and Air Force present, as well as many wellknown public men. Many lady members of the Aero Club also attended. Proposing the toast of “Our Guests,” Mr T. W. White, the president, said that they were assembled to pay tribute to the heroes of their momentous and successful 10,000mile Islands flight. A great deal had been said concerning the adversities of the flight, but, regarded in another manner, that just proved their tenacity of purpose. (Applause). Group-Captain Williams was loudly applauded when he rose to respond. Explaining the flight, he said that it had not been as extensive as had been originally planned. The main reason why the flight had been curtailed was on account of the time limitation. It had to be remembered that after they left Thursday Island they were flying in a latitude lOdeg and 3deg 50min south of the equator. During that period of the flight the machine was in the open most of the time, and that was a very thorough tost, and they had felt, having covered that part of the flight they had indeed achieved something worth while. He thought that they had obtained information that would be valuable to Australia generally. (Hear, hear).

“We can say definitely that the country which we passed over is pretty well suited for seaplanes,” and throughout the flight they had not met conditions which were not to be expected. The success of the flight, as far as it went, was due to the other two members of the crew, who kept the machine functioning. It was Group-Captain Williams’s- privilege to be an observer collecting information. (Applause). There had been a good deal of criticism concerning the venture, and he desired to reply to some of that criticism. (Hear, hear). He would reply that they had completed a 10,000-mile flight, and he would say that the flight, as originally planned, would have been easier for flying. Anyone who knew aviation must, realise that if they had had a more, powerful engine they could have accomplished more than they did. But there were many reasons why they were prevented go- ’ ing as far as originally planned. Time I and similar reasons could be given. The \ engine which they took was capable of | operating on ordinary spirit; any other machine would have meant the laying I down of more refined spirit, and possibly , benzole, too. When they had originally tried to take off from Point Cook on 24th September the sea was too rough. It had been stated that after that first attempt they had lightened the machine. That was not correct. When they did get away they had bad luck in developing an external leak in the engine. On arrival at Sydney it was obviously easier to have the engine changed. Again, when they were within six miles of their destination at Southport they had been forced to descend in tempestuous seas, and they had to taxi to sheltered water. Mclntyre achieved something in making the sheltered waters without mishap. (Hear, hear.) When they had taxied to Southport the waves were just missing the lower plane by six inches. When the seaplane had been beached it was discovered that the propeller needed replacing and the floats repainting. They had been obliged to wait at Southport till a half-finished propeller had been completed. They then flew on, and stopped for one day at the Barrier Reef to see what the members of the Air Force were doing there. He recommended them to take whatever opportunity offered to fly over the reef. It was a wonderful sight, and looked from the air like a rich silk carpet with wonderful colours of deep browns, purples, blues and greens. From Thursday Island they left to make their first contact with the" Islands. At Daru, 130 miles north-east of Thursday Island, they noticed the definite contrast between the northern part of Australia and the Islands. At Rabaul they overhauled the machine, and that occupied a few days. It had been reported that the machine had struck a launch. That was not exactly correct. What happened was that the Customs launch, in trying to asisst them, struck the tail of the machine, and it had taken two days to repair it. Subsequently an internal leak developed in the water tank. The question was whether to go back to Rabaul, where they had spare parts, or go on. They decided to go on. (Hear, hear). When they reached Tulagi it was found there were leaks in two cylinders. It was now a matter of replacing the cylinders or obtaining a new engine. There were stores at Rabaul and Sydney, and it was decided that it was better to obtain an engine from Sydney. That meant a three weeks’ stop. The engine which had been sent out was the original engine which they had used when they left Point Cook. It had been repaired, and when it arrived they refitted it. Then from Tulagi they commenced the return flight. The weather was changing to the north-west season, and they were perpetually dodging storms. He gave some graphic descriptions of flying in the tropical rains. Out of the 24 places they visited outside Australia in 20 of those places an aeroplane had never been seen before, and white people informed them that the flight had done a great deal to maintain the prestige of the white man in those parts. (Applause). Flight-Lieutenant Maclntyre said that if they had had more suitable aircraft possibly the flight would have been longer. They did not turn back in their tracks because they were the Australian Air Force, and intensely proud of it. (Loud applause). Moreover, the men at Point Cook had worked so magnificently on the machine that they felt something was due to them. ! (Hear, hear). “Because we had bad luck we are not going to admit defeat,” he remarked amidst applause.

Sergeant Trist also replied to the toast and told some amusing stories of the flight.