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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 1006.PDF
DECEMBER 30, 1926' THE FIRST IMPERIAL AIR ROUTE Sir Samuel Hoare Inaugurates the Cairo—Karachi Air Route MONDAY, December 27, 1926, marks, without doubt, one of the biggest events in the history of British aviation, for the Secretary of State for Air, Sir Samuel Hoare, not only officially inaugurated the first of what we hope will be a chain of Imperial air routes, linking up the various Dominions with the Mother Country, but the Air Minister, in addition to flying nearly 3,000 miles in the first scheduled machine from London to Egypt, thence over the new route to Karachi (another 2,000 miles), is also taking the opportunity on his arrival in India of making an extended inspection of all the R.A.F. stations on the north-western frontier of India—again employing the aeroplane as his means of transport. It was still dark—and bitterly cold—when a small crowd assembled on Croydon aerodrome on Monday morning to witness the start of the first official flight to India by the " Hercules " No. 3. Just before Sir Samuel Hoare and Lady Maud Hoare left home for the aerodrome the following tele- gram from the King was received :— " The Queen and I wish you and Lady Maud bon voyage, a successful visit, and a safe return home.—GEORGE R.I." Among those present to see Sir Samuel's machine off and wish the party Godspeed were Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard, Air Marshal Sir John Salmond, Air Vice-Marshal Sir Vyell Vyvyan, Lieut.-Col. I. A. E. Edwards, SirEric'Geddes, Sir Samuel Instone, Mr. F. G. Bertram, Capt. Geoffrey de Havilland, Mr. R. Fedden, Mr. R. J. Meller, M.P. (for Mitcham Division of Surrey), and Col. the Master of Sempill and Mrs. Sempill. Just before 7.30 a.m., the hour at which the machine was scheduled to start, Sir Samuel and his party took their places in the machine to the accompaniment of hearty cheering from those standing around. The party included, in addition to Sir Samuel and Lady Maud, Air Vice-Marshal Sir Geoffrey Salmond (who is journeying to India to take command of the R.A.F. in India), Mr. C. LI. Bullock, Sir Samuel's private secretary, Corpl. Hetherington (R.A.F. Records Department, Sir Samuel's batman), and Mr. B. \V. G. Emmott, who was with Sir Alan Cobham on the London-Cape Town flight, and who will take still and moving photographic records of the present flight. The crew consisted of Capt. F. L. Barnard (pilot), Sq.-Ldr. E. L. Johnson (navigator), Mr. Hatchett (wireless operator), and Mr. Mayer (Bristol Aeroplane Co.). Weather conditions, on this occasion were of the curate's egg variety, and although visibility promised to be fair, there was a strong north-east wind blowing, and weather reports indicated a probability of snow storms being encountered en route. It was at 7.36 a.m. that the D.H.66 " Hercules " opened out its three Bristol " Jupiter " engines and took off in the semi-darkness, with all its navigation lights on. Barnard did not circle the aerodrome, but set out straight for the coast as soon as he got the machine well off the ground. The " Hercules " was soon lost to view, and so started the first of our Imperial air routes. Then, it was a thrilling event, but, as Sir Samuel remarked just before he left, in a few years'time the air route to India " will be a very ordinary way." " Hercules " No. 3 passed over Le Bourget at 9.40 a.m. and arrived at Dijon at 11.30 a.m. The Air Minister was received here by the Minister of Commerce and the Mayor, and after lunch the machine proceeded on its journey at 1 p.m. Marseilles was reached at 3.45 p.m. References to this first Imperial air route have already appeared on several occasions in FLIGHT, SO that it will only be necessary for us to mention here that the route is divided into two sections : (1) Cairo, Gaza (or Ziza), Rutbah Wells, Baghdad, and Basra ; (2) Basra, Bushire, Bandar Abbas, Charbar and Karachi. At first the service will be a fortnightly one over the first section (Cairo-Basra) only, starting on January 12, 1927, so timed as to connect with the ocean liners from and to England. As soon as the five D.H. " Hercules " machines have been delivered, and, incidentally, experience has been gained of the complete route, the service will be extended to Karachi. The full time-table then will be as follows: Eastbound' machines will leave Cairo for Ziza at 1 p.m. on Wednesdays proceeding from Ziza at 6 a.m. the next day, arriving at Basra at 5.35 p.m., proceeding from Basra at 6 a.m. (Friday), arriving at Bandar Abbas at 3.45 p.m., proceeding from Bandar Abbas at 6 a.m. (Saturday), and reaching Karachi at 4.45 p.m. Westbound times will be : Thursdays, Karachi. dep. 6 a.m., arr. Bandar Abbas, 4.15 p.m. on Fridays, Bandar Abbas, dep. 7 a.m., arr. Basra 4.25 p.m. ; Saturdays, Basra, dep. 6 a.m., arr. Ziza 5 p.m. ; Sundays, Ziza, dep. 7 a.m.. arr. Cairo, 10 a.m. On the inaugural flight, which started on Monday, no 0 '00 i gpO i 100 rflU3 R..A.F. NORTHJWEST FRONTIER STATIONS] AFFRICA [" FLIGHT " Copyright THE FIRST IMPERIAL AIR ROUTE : Sketch Map showing the route to be taken by Sir Samuel Hoareduring the inaugural flight from Croydon to India. Inset, the R.A.F. Stations to be visited. 862
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