A BERLIN “BOMBER.”

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3426, 4 March 1920, Page 7

A BERLIN “BOMBER.”

AEROPLANE FOR THE NATION

LONDON, Dec. 18.

i Sir Thomas. Mackenzie was one of ithe guests at the new Science Musleum building when the presentation to the nation took place of the Vick-ers-Vimy Rolls-Royce aeroplane, which, under the guidance of Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown, accomplished the historic trans-Atlantic flight last_Juue. Mr Vickers said that the aeroplane would constitute an historical lam‘:mark. It was not in any way a machine specially made for the occasion upon‘ which it had been used; it was to have been a Berlin “bomber,” yvlieii the armistice put a sudden end to its intended career; it was practically a

'war machine, made twelve months ago. He considered the flight from lLondon to Australia as perhaps great'er than-.the Atlantic effort, for its difficulties had included a new route 'hardly surveyed, and many varin.tions of climate. The effort had demonjstrated that it would be good -to arIrange a relay service, and then letIters might be sent to Australia within a week. (Applause) The feat from a human point of View should not be overlooked; it was not the machine which had won, !but the man behind it. _ Mr Claude Johnsoniasked the chairman to accept that portion of the aeroplane for which Rolls-Royce were responsible, It had been designed by Mr F. H. Royce, in so far as: the engines were concerned, while Mr R. K. Pierson, of Vickers’s, had designed the aeroplane. He alluded humorous-

ly to the fact that Captain Aicock and his companion‘ could alone say: “When I Was in America yesterday." A luncheon followed at the Hyde Park Hotel. Mr Douglas Vickers. who presided. proposed. the toast‘. “The closer reunion of the old Mother Country and Australia.” Mr Fisher. (High Commissioner for Australia), ‘lr responding, said that the machine on which Captain RossSmith made his famous flight would never return to this country. (Ltlllgll' ’f€l‘.) Australia would keep that ma(‘.hinra