KINKEAD’S BODY FOUND

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 303, 14 March 1928, Page 1

KINKEAD’S BODY FOUND

Imprisoned in Fuselage MASS OF TWISTED IRONWORK By Cable. — Association.— Copyright. Received 10.42 a.m. LONDON, Tuesday. EXACTLY 24 hours after he set out confidently to achieve an air speed record Flight-Lieut. S. M. Kinkead’s body was recovered from the sea. He was injured so much that he must have been killed instantaneously.

Tbe airman's body was found imprisoned in the fuselage, which was an u nrecognisable mass of twisted ironwork. The tail tvas the only intact portion of the machine. The wings had disappeared and the floats were crushed flat. Tears coursed down the cheeks of many officers as Kinkead’s body was carried ashore. The approximate spot where the machine disappeared was buoyed, but a strong tide made the divers’ work difficult. Officials who were near the scene of the disaster believe that the engine raced and Lieutenant Kinkead lost control. Many theories are advanced for the accident. One is that as Lieutenant, Kinkead flew into the sun the horizon was not visible to him, and he may have dipped his machine and flown straight into the water. The . chief theory Is that violent rocking, preceding a difficult take-off in still air, weakened the monoplane. Several witnesses describe the seeming flutter of the rudder tail-vane just before the crash. Others suggest that the engine momentarily raced madly. Lieut. Kinkead appeared to be trying to alight. MINISTRY APPROVED FLIGHT Only half an hour before the tragedy the members of the House of Commons had applauded Lieutenant Kinkead for his trial flight on Sunday, w r hen it was mentioned by the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Samuel Hoare. In paying a tribute to the airman, the Minister said he feared the way of progress must be strewn w r ith sacrifices. Mr. P. J. H. Hannon, M.P. for Birmingham, inquired if the Air Ministry had approved the speed trial and if these trials served any useful purpose. Sir Samuel replied that the Ministry had approved the flight. There was no further information regarding the accident. Lieut. Kinkead’s engine was of the same type as the one which won the Schneider Cup. Every precaution had been taken to reduce the risk of accidents to a minimum. He w-as sure that the House would join him in expressing its sympathy with the relatives of a very gallant officer. (Cheers.) The aviation expert of the “Morning Post" says no one was better pleased than Lieutenant Kinkead when he was chosen to attempt to break the world’s air sped record. His temperament was ideally siuted to the task. He had shown no signs of fray-ed nerves in the long days of waiting for suitable weather. He was at the ’ air station at dawn every day, ready and anxious for the first fine half hour. The writer says that Lieutenant Kinkead believed the machine would travel at r . peed of 315 miles an hour. His omy anxiety was lest the Ital # airman. Commandant di Bernardi, should forestall him and raise the record to a figure more difficult to beat. RECCRQ OF GALLANTRY In 1913 Lieutenant Kinkead, who was 31 years old and was born in South Africa, was awarded the D. 5.0.. D.S.C. and bar, and D.F.C. and bar, for gallantry, consisting of attacking and.

dispersing a cavalry division in Rus- ‘ sia, gallantry at the Dardanelles, con- ‘ spicuous gallantry and skill against the ‘ enemy in aerial combats, attacking enemy formations in superior numbers, and dispersing enemy troops in France. He started in the Schneider Cup race last year, but did not com- j - plete the course.—A. and N.Z.-Sun. i