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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 0506.PDF
JUNE 21, 1928 THE SIR CHARLES WAKEFIELD SURVEY FLIGHT AROUND AFRICA: Some snapshots en route. Onthe left, Sir Alan and Lady Cobham have a peep out of the starboard and port, respectively, rear cockpits of the Short-Rolls-Royce "Singapore," while flying at 100 m.p.h. In the centre (top) the "Singapore"moored at Frisco Lagoon, and (below) Sir Alan " surveying" Africa from the pilot's cockpit in mid-air. On the right is Capt. Worrell, second pilot of the expedition. A gale was blowing when the ascent was made from SimonsBay, Cape Town. On April 5 they reached Walfish Bay, 260 miles, in a gale and thick fog. Port Alexander, 520 miles,April 6, Lobito Bay, 260 miles, April 7, followed in turn, then a 480-mile stage to Banana Creek at the mouth of theCongo River on April 8. There a member of the crew, Mr. F. Green, the engineer, had to leave the flying-boatowing to illness against which he had been fighting since the start from Cape Town. He was left in charge of a doctoron a Belgian Government steamer. On the following day Libreville, 530 miles, was gained. Bonny, 360 miles, and Lagos, 320 miles, were visited byApril 11, eight days out from Cape Town. Sir Alan con- sidered that the weather in general on the West AfricanCoast was excellent for flying, with two bad exceptions. There were thick fogs between Luderitz and Walfish Bayand constant southerly winds which would severely hinder southward flights. From Cape Town to Lobito Bay wascontinuous desert for 500 miles, and no habitation or Water other than at his landing places, and possibly a few others.Although there was no shelter for seaplanes, an aeroplane service could operate all the way to Lobito Bay. The expedition remained at Lagos for four days, and wentto Takoradi on April 15, 380 miles away, followed then by Abidjan", 160 miles, and a forced landing at Fresco Bay onthe Ivory Coast on April 17, after a stage of 100 miles. It was necessary to wait spare parts from England, and it wasa month all but two days before the flight was resumed on May 15. Freetown, 630 miles, Bathurst, 430 miles, PortEtienne, 570 miles, and Las Palmas, 570 miles, were all covered by May 22. After that the stages which concludedthe flight were : Casablanca, 650 miles, May 26 ; Gibraltar, 250 miles. May 27 ; Barcelona, 630 miles, May 28 (in a gale) ; Bordeaux, 370 miles, May 29 ; and Plymouth, 460 miles, onMay 31 (via Brest and Guernsey). After that began the round England cruise, recorded in last week's issue. About 20,000 miles were flown on the survey flight inAfrica, and, in addition, Sir Alan flew 3,155 miles for the Colonial Office ; 370 miles to the Governors' Conference ;and 2,820 miles for the North and South Rhodesian Conferences. The log of the cruise is as follows :— Nov17. . 20. 21.22 24! Jan.21. 112 23.27. 29. 29. 30. 31. Feb 2. 3. 4. 5.6. «. 7. 25. 26. 27. 28. .. 1927.Rochester-Southampton (70 miles)Southampton-Bordeaux (700) Bordeaux-Marseilles (280)Marseilles-Ajaccio (220) Ajaccio-Malta (540) , 1928.Malta-Benghazi (420) Benghazi-Tobruk (300)Tobruk-Aboukir (400) Aboukir-Lu.xor (475)Luxor-Wady Haifa (300) Wady Haifa- Kanma (350) Karima-Berber (200)Berber-Khartoum (200) Khartoum-Malakal (450) Malakal-Mongalla (360)Mongalla-Butiaba (230) Butiaba-Entebbe (250)Entebbe-Port Bell (30) Port Bell-Kisumu (150)Kisumu-Mwanza (210) Mwanza-Kigoma (430) Kigoma-Mpulunga (300)Mpulunga-Yua (230) Yua-Fon Johnson (340) March4. 6. JJ. 29.30. Aprr 3. 5. e. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 15. 16. 17. May 15. 19.21. 22. 26. 27. 28. 29 31. Fort Johnsou-Bcira (450) Beira-Lourenco Marques (530)Lourenco Marques-Durban(320) Durban- Knysna (600)Knysna-Capc Town (300) 1 Cape Town-Luderitz (550)Luderitz-Walnsh Bay (260) Walfish Bay-Port Alexander (520)Port Alexander-Lobito Bay (260)Lobita Bay-Banana (480) Banana-Libreville (530) Libreville-Bonny (360)Bonny-Lagos (320) Lagos-Takoradi (380) Takoradi-Abidjan (160)Abidjan-Fresco Bay (100) Fresco Bav-Freetown (630)Freetown-Bathurst (430) Bathurst-Port Etienne (570)Port Etienne-Las Palmas (570) Las Palmas-Casablanca (650)Casablanca-Gibraltar (250) Gibraltar-Barcelona (630)Barcelona-Bordeaux (370) Bordeaux-Plymouth (460) AFRICAN SURVEY FLIGHT BANQUET SIR CHARLES WAKEFIELD, on June 19, at the Savoy Hotel,gave a dinner in honour of Sir Alan and Lady Cobham and the other members -of his African Survey Flight. He wassupported by Sir Samuel Hoare, Lady Maud Hoare, the Lord Mayor of London, the Lady Mayoress, and a number ofdistinguished guests. Sir Charles said that of all our pioneers, Sir Alan Cobham was the forerunner, and they welcomedhim after the successful completion of a splendid Empire survey. He and Lady Cobham and the other members de-served well of all who looked forward to the rapid progress of aviation within the British Empire. Sir Alan was now the authority upon civil or commercial aviation in Africa, andfuture services would be based upon his work. Sir Samuel Hoare then proposed the health of Sir Alanand Lady Cobham and members of the flight. He said that we were on the verge of a great flying-boat expansion, andit was a good sign that at the time when they had had a great flight by the " Singapore " flying-boat in Africa, other flying-boats were exploring in the Far East. Much of the success of a great flight depended upon accurate weather reports.Within the last day they had had the experience of Miss Earhart and Capt. Stultz. Sir Samuel also expressed the 462
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