IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1919, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

FREE GIFTS OF AEROPLANES; 1 FROM DIPERIAL GOVERNMENT. Received June C, 10.25 p.m. London, June 5. General Seely, in the Mouse of Commons, confirmed the Government's free gifts of aeroplanes to the Dominions, India, the colonies and the protectorates, to aasit in the common defence of tho Empire. The types will be according to the desires of the recipients. The Government hoped to meet all their wishes. Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc, •HAWKER'S MISHAP; TRIVIAL DEFECT PREVENTS VICTORY.

New York, May 36. The Danish steamer Mary, which picked up Hawker and Grieve, cleared from New Orleans for Horscns, in Denmark, on April 2G with a cargo of cotton seed cake, the first cargo of its kind to leave New Orleans since the war. She was a slow ship and heavily laden. Hawker covered at least 7150 miles of the full course towards Ireland. The aeroplane was not 20 miles out of its course when the Verry light was seen. Though the airmen were not assisted by a chain of destroyers like the Americans they kept their course equally well The choice of the northern instead of the Azores route was justified. Experts point out that the engine mishap \va3 the trivial stoppage of the water pipe between the Tadiator and the water pump, which caused the circulation of the water to stop and rapidly boil away, so that the engine became heated. It was impossible to correct the defect in the air, and Hawker was unable to rise, as the machine was an aeroplane and not a seaplane, if the machine had had floats he could have repaired the defect and continued the flight.

ANOTHER BRITISH ATTEMPT. New York, May 23. The St. John's correspondent of the New York Times says that the HandleyPaga bombing biplane which is being assembled will he the largest airplane to attempt the trans-Atlantic (light. It is equipped with four Rolls-ißoyce eightcylinder engines, generating a total of loflO horse-power. It is estimated that the engines consume 108 gallons of petrol per hour, and produce a speed of M miles per hour. The plane will carry 2370 gallons of petrol, and is equipped with a wireless plant with a 250-mile receiving radius. It can continue to fly even if two engines are not working. The estimated cost of the biplane is £24,000. It is expected it will be ready for a test flight within a fortnight.—Aus. N.Z. Cahle Assoc. T.RISCO TO AUSTRALIA. ■' Received June 0, 11.15 p.m. New York, June ">. The New York Times learns from San Francisco that it is reported that Thos. tnce, the cinema producer, has offered a prize of 3300 dollars for a flight from San Francisco to Australia. —Aus. N.Z. Calile Assoc.

FATAL TRIAL OF PLANE Received June 0, 3.5 p.m. London, May 20. A giant Tarrant triplano met with a mishap at the initial trial at Famborough. The machine nose-dived to earth. Captain A. T. Rawlins being fatally injured, Lieut. Dunne badly injured, and some others injured.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. THE FLIGHT FOR AUSTRALIA. Received Juno 7, 1.20 a.m. London, Juno 5. Three Australian lieutenants, Kingsford, Smith and Rendle, and C. B. Maddocks will leave Leeds a week hence for Australia, flying in a twin-engined Blackburn-Rolls-Royce Kangaroo biplane. They will carry sufficient petrol for a 1350-miles non-stop journey, and will also take a small quantity of cargo. They will call at Darwin, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melljuime.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn FRENCH AIR LOSSES. Received June (!, 5.5 pm. London, June 5. French air losses during the war-time were 3400 pilots and observers killed and 20-22 wounded in the army zone, also 1900 killed in the interior zone.—Aus N.Z. Cable Assoc.