RACING A STORM.

Taihape Daily Times, 22 August 1919, Page 2

RACING A STORM.

THRILLING FLIGHT ‘TO SIM-LA_ A reluarkablc tribute to the stability of the British aeroplane comes from India in the form of a story of an airman ’s race from Amballa to Simla. against heavy dust and thunder storms. Major H. A. Tweedie, of the ‘Australian Flying Corps, flying a Sopwith Camel, left Aniballa for -Simla, and at a height of only 6000 feet it was impossible to see a spot“ five miles distant, and, more extraordinary still, no hills were visible. Flying by compass, Major Tweedie bore north-east into the clouds at 7500 feet, and again climbing failed to get above the clouds. Climbing still higher, Major Tweedie observed that a severe dust storm was getting nearer '\land nearer’, Hoping that he could race the storm, he climbed his machine to 10,000 feet, and was relieved to see the Simla hill in front of him. In -order to approach the aerodrorie, it was necessary to come down into a cup of the hills. The moment he throttled down, howe‘.'er, the machine became unmanageable, owing to the bumps due to a thunderstorm overhead. Eventually, compelled to approach the ground “down wind,” owing to the storm, he was lucky enough to make the dangerous approach of about 300 feet deep,» and only accessible from one end. Jumping a. wall between trees 15 feet higher, the pilot made the landing just. as the storm broke. So severe was it that within a quarter of an hour there were over 20 holes in the fabric of the planes causeldl ibfy hailstones larger than pigeon eggs.