AVIATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 76, 20 March 1914, Page 5

AVIATION.

A MONOPLANE DESTROYED.

[Per Press Association." Wellington, Marcli 19

A. W. Schaef's monoplane was totally destroyed by lire last night with the shed in which it was housed at Lyail Bay. Mr Schaef had been employed early in the afternoon affecting repairs to the parts damaged by a side-slip on the beach on Monday afternoon, but as lie Heeded some tools to continue operations lie returned to town, leaving in charge Mr Boyd, whom hf. had asked to get some glue ready for him by the time he returned. Thrglue was to he heated by a brazinglamp, and while Schaef was away it is understood that Boyd found some difficulty in getting die lamp going in the windy air outside the shed. He therefore went inside, and ueated the burner up with some, rag soaked in kerosene. He then .began to pump air into' the lamp. Unfortunately the jet had become blocked in some way, and when the obstruction blew away under the pressure of air it was fallowed by a jet of kerosene. This ignited, and struck a sack under the engine, from thr\ carburetter of which benzine had been dripping. The sack blazed up, with dry grass around it, and immediately the engine and front of the aeroplane were in flames. The engine was mined, and the whole* structure reduced to ashes and twisted ironwork*