KING’S CUP AIR RACE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 709, 8 July 1929, Page 9

KING’S CUP AIR RACE

LIEUTENANT ATCHERLEY WINS FLIGHT ROUND BRITAIN (Australian and N.Z. Press Association) (United Service) LONDON, Saturday. The King's Cup air race was concluded The result was: Lieutenant Atcherley, in a GlosterGrebe i Lieutenant Richardson, in a Moth 2 Captain W. L. Hope (holder), in a Gipsy Moth 3 Forty-one machines left Hendon airdrome yesterday morning on their two days’ race around Britain. The competitors included three women, of whom all flew Moths. At the end of the first day Captain T. Neville Stack, in an Avro-Avian, was leading, Lieutenant Atcherley was second, and Lieutenant Fielden in a Gloster-Grebe, was third. Several of the competitors found the wind too strong and were forced to retire. Others were blown off their course. The finish of the race provided an unexpected thrill for thousands of people who were waiting. Two machines appeared in the offing, racing neck and neck, one of which was thought to be that of Captain Stack, who had led throughout. As it happened, however, Captain Stack had been forced down owing to engine trouble. The oncoming rivals were Lieutenants Atcherley and Richardson. The former took the lead a mile from home and won by 100yds. The first four arrived within five minutes. The winner flew at an average speed of 150.3 miles an hour. The next best time was Fielden’s, 143.3 miles an hour. Richardson, with an average speed of 100.2 miles an hour, won the Siddeley trophy for light airplanes. Miss Evelyn Spooner, in a Gipsy Moth, was placed fifth, and headed the women competitors. Mrs. Butler and Lady Bailey also finished. Captain Stack, in spite of his forced landing, came in sixth.