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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 1618.PDF
coast at Solium, then flew east to Cairo across desert via Matruh. Hope to reach Damascus or Baghdad to-morrow. All very pleased to have got here. Hope for better weather now. So far have taken 30 flying hours, mostly through rain and storms. Throughout greatest assistance rendered by aerial route stations, nothing being too much trouble. It is largely due to their excellent organisation that we are here so soon. Vimy going perfectly. November 19.—Left Cairo 10.30 ; dull weather. Crossed Canal at Kantara.'then over Romani along coast under thick cloud to Gaza. Turned inland to Ramleh, then Haifa. Owing to heavy rain flew low to Jordan over Sea of Galilee, thence to Damascus. Interesting seeing old places again, recalling memories of the war. Landed, Damascus 3. Met many old R.A.F. friends. November 20.—Delayed uDtil 11. First rain since March. Ground getting sticky. Oiled tires to Stop mud sticking, and left. Flew low to Tadmor, turned east, crossed desert Abu Kemal, followed Euphrates. Met head wind and landed at Ramadie battlefield at dusk. Pegged down machine. Heavy gale at night. Turned out troops to hold machine ; anxious time for two hours, but Vimy weathered the storm. November 21.—Left Ramadie 1.15 ; good wind ; first good flying day of journey. Passed Baghdad, Kut, Garden of Eden, landed Basra 4.40. Overhauling to-day; Bunder Abbas to-morrow. Yesterday weather cheered all con siderably after ten days' trying conditions. Crew well ; engines behaving beautifully. November22.—At Basra overhauling machine and engines, making adjustments ; nothing wrong. November 23.—Left Basra 6.30 ; perfect day, beautiful sunrise. Flew over Bushire along coast Persian Gulf, landed Bunder Abbas (Persia), 2.20. Nearly eight hours in the air ; machine never faltered. Persian coast very rough and barren. Passed several R.A.F. emergency grounds. Welcomed here (Bunder Abbas) by British Consul, the O.C. troops, and the local Persian Governor. Great interest manifested by local inhabitants ; some had never seen an aeroplane. Hope to reach Karachi to-morrow if wind favourable, otherwise Charbar. DECEMBER 18, 1919 November 24.—Left Bunder Abbas to-day 7.30 ; arrived Karachi 4.10. Good day, uninteresting scenery. Followed coast all the way. Engines and machine no trouble ; crew rather tired after nearly nine hours' flying. Welcomed in India by General Fowler and Air Force, also a party of Australians who " coo'eed " lustily. Weather much warmer— a contrast with England 13 days ago. Hope to reach Delhi to-morrow if wind favourable. November 25.—Left Karachi to-day 7.40, arrived Delhi 4.30. Journey uneventful. Good day, slight head wind. Met by General MacEwan and numerous others. All Air Force arrangements perfect ; greatest assistance. During last three days have flown 25 hours, covering 1,600 miles. Machine and engines n,o trouble ; crew well. Allahabad next, possibly to-morrow. November 26.—Remained at Delhi resting. November 27.—To-day at 10.30 flew over city 10 minutes, then started Allahabad. Near Muttra one oil gauge " dud." Landed and repaired. Continued ; after 90 minutes landed at Allahabad 5 p.m. Good flying. Passed Taj Mahal at Agra ; Cawnpore. Crew and machine well. November 28.—Left Allahabad 8.30, arrived Calcutta 1.45. Good trip. Following wind, clear sky, uneventful. Landed on the racecourse ; large crowd All well. Akyab to-morrow. November 29.—Left Calcutta 8.30 ; landed Akyab 1 p.m. A large and distinguished gathering to see us off, including Lady Ronaldshay and many cinemas and cameras. Great interest was displayed in machine, especially in the parts which flew the Atlantic with Alcock. The racecourse at Calcutta is small when taking off. Many hawks were circling round close to the ground. We were very frightened that a hawk would hit the propeller and smash it. Just off the ground the machine struck two hawks, one hitting the propeller at a nasty moment as the machine almost hit the trees in avoiding more birds. No damage to the propeller, but pieces of hawk were hanging on the machine the whole journey. Circled Calcutta and flew east to Chittagong across mouths of the Ganges, and then south in good weather. Poulet here. Both machines leave for Rangoon to-morrow. All well. The WINNERS OF THE £10,000 PRIZE: the crew of the Vickers-Vimy-Rolls. From left to right: Sergt. W. H. Shiers, A.F.M., Lieut. K. M. Smith, R.A.F., Capt. Ross Smith, M.C., D.F.C., A.F.C., and Sergt. J. M. Bennett, M.S.M., A.F.M. 1620
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