Airmen Held up by Gale at Blenheim

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 468, 25 September 1928, Page 1

Airmen Held up by Gale at Blenheim

KEEN TO FLY SOUTH GROUND IN GOOD ORDER BLENHEIM. To-day. The Tasman flyers assembled at the airdrome at 6.30 a.m. to-day ready to hop off for Christchurch and the South, but a strong southwester, of almost gale force, sprang up while the machines were being tuned up. The flight was therefore postponed till the wind moderates. The airmen intimated that they will make every endeavour to reach Christchurch by to-night. They will not lightly abandon the Southern tour front Christchurch. According to their original programme they intended to leave Blenheim at 6.30 a.m. to-day, landing at Sockburn for fuel and reaching Oamaru at 11.45. The proceedings there were to be strictly limited to one hour, as the flyers would have had a very big day ahead of them, the total flying being 375 miles. At Dunedin a civic reception had been arranged at Wingatui, to be followed in the evening by a party given by the R.S.A.. the Aero Club and the Otago Expansion League. On Wednesday the flyers intended to return to Christchurch, stopping cu route at Timaru. It had been arranged for the airmen to land at Washdyke and proceed by car to Caroline Bay to attend a reception. EXCELLENT RUN-WAY

On their arrival at Blenheim yesterday the airmen inspected the work tli« Marlborough Aero Club is carrying out in preparation for the arrival of the Southern Cross. The temporary hangar, with a span of S2ft. and a depth of 50ft., is beginning to rear its framework in the air, while a small army’ of men is engaged in perfecting the already excellent runway' and in erecting enclosures to accommodate the crowd which is expected. Although the ground had been subjected to nearly' 48 hours of heavy rain it was as firm as a board, and Kingsford Smith and his companions, after travelling up the runway in a car, were delighted with it. The runway is one mile and atenth in length, and flyers will easily be able to take off with full tanks carrying from 50 to 100 gallons more petrol than they had anticipated. There were no formal ceremonies attaching to the airmen’s visit, but they were entertained at an informal luncheon by the Aero Club. They spent the afternoon securing a much-needed .rest.

COMMEMORATIVE TABLET FLIGHT COMMITTEE’S SUGGESTION £SOO DONATION TO FLYERS Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, To-day. The actual spot where the wheels of the Southern Cross first touched New Zealand soil may be marked by an inscribed tablet sunk in level with the ground at the Wigram Airdrome. At a meeting of the Flight Committee yesterday it was decided to interview the airdrome authorities and the Government on the subject. Funds now in the hands of the committee, together with the sum it is hoped to raise by a street collection to-morrow, are expected to a*nount to over £SOO. This will be presented to Squadron-Leader Kingaford Simth and Flight-Lieutenant Ulm by the citizens of Christchurch. The street collection will permit people unable to donate large amounts to contribute small donations. The departure of the Southernd Cross for Blenheim has been fixed for 2 p.m. on Friday, a time convenient for most people, and it is anticipated that there will be a very large crowd at Sockburn. Thousands of school children will be among the crowd. They have all been granted a holiday and will be taken to the airdrome under the control of school teachers.

FLAG “SOUVENIRED” (Special to THE SUN) WANGANUI, Monday. A travel-stained Australian iir.tr which Kingsford Smith has carried with him throughout his adventures with the Southern Cross and on the New Zealand tour, was taken from the car in which he drove to the landing ground just before hopping oft for Blenheim this afternoon.

The town clerk has issued an appenl top- the return of the flag, which ti ■ party regards in the light of a mascot