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Aviation History
1927
1927 - 0017.PDF
JANUARY 13, 1927 by the large crowd gathered on the aerodrome only at the last minute as the air was still heavily laden with dust from the previous day's sandstorm. Sir Samuel Hoare and party, who descended from the machine looking remarkably fresh, were received by the Commissioner in Sind, after which leading residents in Karachi were presented. Sir Samuel and Lady Maud Hoare personally thanked the pilot and navigator. Men of the R.A.F. Depot formed a guard of honour, whilst as the party arrived at the Government House, a salute was fired by the 13th Heavy Battery, Royal Horse Artillery. An Official Banquet was held at Government House in the evening. Lady Maud Hoare stated that she had never experienced such a comfortable journey, either by train, sea or car. " Most of my time," said Lady Maud " has been occupied while in the machine in reading and writing letters, when I was not watching scenery as it passed beneath." The journey to Karachi having thus been successfully accomplished and the Cairo-Karachi air service thereby officially opened, a start was made as early as possible the next morning for the final portion of the flight to Delhi. This was made in two stages, a stop for the night being made at Jodhpur on January 7. On landing at Delhi, at 12.30 p.m., on January 8, Sir Samuel Hoare and party were received by a large assemblage, which included Field-Marshal Sir William Birdwood, members of the Viceroy's Council, the Chief Commissioner, Air Force and Military Officers, etc., and a crowd of about 4,000 ; a salute of guns was fired as the machine came gracefully to earth. After the official reception Sir Samuel and Lady Maud Hoare drove to the Viceregal Lodge, where a letter from the King was handed over to the Viceroy, to which the following telegram was sent in reply :—" Your Majesty's historical letter was punctually delivered to me by Sir Samuel Hoare at 1 o'clock to-day. The journey he and Lady Maud Hoare have just completed has been the happy means of conveying to a Viceroy the first letter ever received by air from His Majesty the King-Emperor and of developing a new way of communication of far-reaching Imperial significance. Your Majesty's gracious message and the circumstances of the delivery have bound more closely than ever before the ties -which unite two great capitals and two great peoples of your Majesty's Empire.—Irwin." Sir Samuel stated that the flight had been a record one in many ways—first, because it was the first time that a woman had made a long journey in an aeroplane, and because Lady Maud Hoare was the first woman to arrive in India by air ; secondly, because it was the first time that a Cabinet Minister had arrived in India by air ; thirdly, because it was the first time that an Officer Commanding Air Forces in any part of the Empire had arrived by air to take charge of his command ; and, lastly, because it was the first time that a commercial aeroplane had made the journey from England to India. The King, he said, had taken the closest interest in the flight and had telegraphed to him the following message :— " Hearty congratulations on your safe arrival in India after your most successful and enterprising flight. I hope you and Lady Maud have enjoyed your voyage." Sir Eric Geddes, Chairman of Imperial Airways, sent the following cablegram to Sir Samuel Hoare : " The Board of Imperial 'Airways congratulate you and Lady Maud Hoare on the punctual completion of your six- thousand mile air journey, London to Delhi. As it was due to your Imperial outlook and determination that this com- mercial air link of the Empire communications was forged, it was indeed fitting that you should inaugurate the service by being its first passengers. That Lady Maud should be your fellow passenger gives ample proof "to the world of "your confidence in our organisation." Sir Eric also received a letter from Capt. Hardinge, on behalf of the King, which states :— " The King has followed with deep interest the initial flight on the Imperial Airways Service from London to Delhi, which, with but one deviation from the original programme, due to the sand storm at Jask, has to-day been brought to a successful conclusion. '' Such a feat augurs well for the future of the service, and, in the opinion of the King, reflects great credit on the organising staff of the Imperial Airways Company, as well as on the pilot and crew of the machine. " His Majesty will be glad if you will convey his sincere congratulations to all concerned." Messages of congratulations have also been sent to Sir Samuel Hoare from the Royal Aeronautical Society and the Royal Aero Club. On January 10, at the Delhi aerodrome, Lady Irwin christened the D.H. " Hercules " air liner, " City of Delhi." In a short speech just before the ceremony Sir Samuel Hoare said that the Imperial Airways Company intended to name its aeroplanes after the capital cities of the countries along the route from Great Britain to India, and congratulated the historic city of Delhi on being the first to receive this honour. The "Moths' " Complete Their Task WHILST the labours of " Hercules " were in progress the two members of the Lancashire Aero Club, Capt. T. N. Stack and Mr. B. S. Leete, were also making aeronautical history in their tiny D.H. " Moth " light 'planes fitted with " Cirrus," Mark II engines. As recorded in last week's issue, they arrived at Jask on January 4, the same day that the " Hercules " got there. Proceeding on January 6, they pushed on towards Charbar, where they arrived at 12.40 p.m. The following afternoon they proceeded to Pasni, but slight engine trouble caused them to return. They set out again, however, on January S and arrived that afternoon at their " secret destination "—Karachi. Thus concluded what is undoubtedlv a record achievement for the light 'plane, for except for larger petrol tanks, the two " Moths " were standard machines (one, in fact, was the King's Cup winner, G-EMBO), and their owner-pilots had no elaborate preparations or petrol dumps ahead of them along the route, and acted as their own navigators and mechanics ! However, we hope to deal in greater detail with this remarkable flight on a future occasion. We may add in conclusion that they have sent the following message to A.D.C. Aircraft, Ltd. :—" Con- gratulate you ; ' Cirrus ' wonderful all through." Duralumin and Corro- sion : This photograph shows one of the D.H.9 seaplanes used by the Air Survey Company in Malay, and the Eastern Manager of the Company reports that the condition of the Duralumin floats is good, and that be- yond an occasional cleaning of barnacles from the bottoms the floats have given no trouble whatever. As the floats have had a thorough test in fresh and salt water under tropical conditions, this speaks well for the use of Duralumin, at any rate, as used by Short Brothers in the construction of sea- plane floats. 17
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