AUSTRALIA BY AIR

Taranaki Daily News, 3 November 1919, Page 5

AUSTRALIA BY AIR

ANOTHER COMPETITOR READY.» ;

LIEUT. DOUGLAS AND- ALLIANCE MACHINE.

_. THE PILOT'S HISTORY.

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.

Received Nov, 2, 11.5 p.m

London, Nov. 1. Lieut. Roger Douglas on board his Alliance aeroplane leaves for Australia at 8 o'clock thi3 morning. The engine is of 450-horse power, a Napier-Lion, with a range of 3000 miles, and cruising speed of 100 miles per hour. The petrol capacity is 515 gallons. A sister machine recently flew to Madrid (900 miles) without a stop in TJ hours.

The airplane is equipped with the most powerful wireless, on which the pilot, Lieutenant Rogers Douglas, intends to rely for navigation, especially pver the difficult last Indian stage. The Dutch Government has; promised all assistance, including the services of the Bandoeng wireless station, which is one of the most powerful in the world. Douglas, tho pilot, is aged 25.' He hails from Charters Towers. Jfc enlisted at the outbreak of the war and served on Thursday Island in connection with the expedition to German New Guinea. He sailed to 'Egypt in the first convoy and served in France as a machine-gunner. He joined the Flying Corps in 1918 and became instructor. He holds the D.C.M. and M.C. Lieut. Thomas Ross is navigator. Douglas considers that directional wireless affords the only chance of a successful flight. His proposed route to Australia is by Italy, Greece, Egypt, Bagdad, Karachi, Calcutta and Rangoon. The Howell:Martinsydes A-l is nearly completed and a start for Australia is expected in the near future. The tank capacity has been increased to enable the machine to remain in the air over ten hours.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.

[Though the Frenchman Poulet is attempting to fly to Australia, he is not in the competition, as he is not a.n Australian. Douglas will be the second Australian to attempt the .flight. The other competitor is Captain G. C. Matthews, flying a Larkin Sopwith machine, with Sergeant Kay as mechanic. They left London for Australia about a fortnight ago. After crossing the Channel he was obliged to land at Marquise, near Calais, owing to fog. , They then proceeded to Cologne, but no news of any further; move has been received.]