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Aviation History
1929
1929 - 0127.PDF
JANUARY 17, 1923 At 08.00 the wind was S.E. 15—20 knots, and there was a moderate seaat the moorings. At 08.15, the eye splice in the mooring wire to which the mooring pendant of S.1151 was shackled, pulled out, and that flying-boatstarted to drift quickly towards the shore. Sergt J. Semple was the air- man on duty in S.1151, he promptly stowed the front awning and enginecovers, started both engines, taxied into a safe position, and anchored ; the anchor dragged and 51 was taxied to a new position with better holdingground and re-anchored satisfactorily. The duty officer was in S.I 150 with an airman. They launched the rubber dinghy to go to 51's assistance,but before they could do so, the mooring gear of 50 parted between the sinker and the buoy, and she started to driit ; awnings and engine coverswere stowed, the engines started and 50 was taxied to a safe position and anchored satisfactorily. The moorings of S. 1149 and S. 1152 held. Amessage had been signalled to the shore as soon as S. 1150 started to drift, and the officers and airmen off duty returned to their boats as quickly aspossible, but this took two hours, due to the shallowness of thf water near the shore, the distance of the flying-boats from the shore, and the lack ofboats suitable for taking off the crews in a moderate sea and wind. The mooring gear to which 51 had been secured was repaired, and she was re-secured to it ; the mooring gear for 50 was beyond repair, two 1-cwt. anchors were borrowed from the shore with 30 fathoms of 2J-in. coir rope for each,these were laid out and the flying-boat's mooring gear shackled to it. No further trouble was experienced with the moorings. Owing to the exposed position of the moorings at Broonte, and as theresidents expected stronger winds next day, it was decided to leave at dawn for Port Hcdland. All officers and airmen dined and sl«pt in the flying-boats ; anchor watchbeing kept in case of further trouble with the moorings. A favourable weather forecast for the flight to Port Hedland was received. Telegramswere received from the Prime Minister of Australia, and the Minister for A telegram congratulating the Flight on its arrival in Australia wasreceived from the Secretary of State for Air. Squadron Leader Delarue arrived by Air Mail on Tuesday evening to seethat the arrangements for the Flight were satisfactory Wednesday, June 6. Port Hedland—Carnarvon. 495 miles . (7 hrs.55 mins. ; 62 knots.).—Owing to the small area of water available, engines were warmed up at the moorings, each flying-boat slipping its mooringsand taking off before the next one slipped. The weather was fine, with no cloud and good visibility, the sea in the harbour was calm. The first flyingboat started engines at 06.10, aud all boats were flying in formation by 06.30 ; the average take-off time was 45 sees., with 5(1(1 gallons. Aftercircling Port Hedland and being joined by the " Widgeon " II, which had taken off from the aerodrome, the Flight left lor Carnarvon at 06.35. Thecoast was followed to Onslow, where course was set for N.W. Cape, which was passed at 10.37. The coastline was then followed to Carnarvon, wherethe Flight landed in formation at 14.15. The weather was fine and sea slight, with southerly winds of 5 to 10 knots as far as Onslow. The windthen changed temporarily to N.K. and back to S. , increasing to 20 knots, with heavy rain lasting 20 mins., a rough sea and low visibility ; it wasbumpy. The rain stopped 10 mins. before X.W. Cape was reached, the sky then being overcast with low clouds. After X.W. Cape the weather wasfine and the sky gradually cleared ; the sea remained rough, and the wind S. 15 to 20 knots, and bumpy to C. Farquhar, when the wind and seagradually dropped. The country passed was similar to that farther north— flat, with occasional low hills, sandy and covered with brush and spinifexgrass. There appeared to be several good anchorages to the S. of Nickol Bay in the Dampier Archipelago and near the sea products refinery byCloates Bight. A reef, about a mile from the land, stretches south from the N.W. Cape for about 120 miles ; there were heavy breakers on this reef,but inside it the water was comparatively calm. Seven pearling luggers THE ROYAL AIR FORCE FLYING-BOAT CRUISE : The officers and men who set out from Plymouth on October 17, 1927, in four Supermarine-Napier flying - boats on a flight to Singapore—the cruise subsequently being extended to Australia and other Eastern ports. (1) The "Flagship" : Group-Capt. H. M. Cave-Browne-Cave (right centre) and Flight-Lieut. H. G. Sawyer. (2) Boat No. 1 : Sqdn.-Ldr. G. E. Livock (left centre) and Flight-Lieut. P. E. Maitland. (3) Boat No. 2 : Flight-Lieut. D. V. Carnegie (left centre) and Flying Officer G. E. Nicholetts. (4) Boat No. 3 : Flight-Lieut. G. G. Wigglesworth (left centre) and Flying Officer S. D. Scott. It should be pointed out that certain "modifications" of the personnel were effected during the progress of the cruise—for instance, two of the airmen were replaced by their equivalent weight in extra spares and stores. Defence, welcoming and congratulating the Flight on their arrival inAustralia, and messages of thanks were sent in reply. Sunday,June 3. Broome—Port Hedland. 260 miles. (3 hrs. 30 mins.;74 knots.)—The Flight took off in formation at 06.05 in 22 sees., with 300 gal. Ions petrol. After circling Broome and being joined by " Widgeon " II,which had taken off from the aerodrome, the Flight proceeded down the coast to Port Hedland. The weather conditions during the Flight weregood, with good visibility and no cloud ; the wind varied between E. and S.E. from 10 to 15 knots ; it was bumpy at 1,000 / but steady higher up ;the sea varied between slight and moderate. The pearling fleet, consisting of about 70 luggers, wi.s passed about 10 milesto seaward, and two miles North of the end of Eighty Miles Beach ; there was a smaller pearling fleet 7 miles further South. The coast is sandy,with a few low cliffs of red sandstone ; the Eighty Miles Beach is a wonderful stretch of sand with a few hillocks 10 to 20 ft. high. The hinterland islow and sandy, with a little grass and scrub ; it is used for sheep. It was notioeably colder in the flying-boats during this flight, the temperature inthe hull at 09.00 at 2,000 ft. was 64° F. After circling Port Hedland in formation, the Flight landed there in succession (due to the small area avail-able) at 09.35, and secured to moorings laid in the channel to the S.E. of the pier. The " Widgeon " II landed at the aerodrome. During the next two days the Flight remained at Port Hedland, which isa small town of about 100 inhabitants. There is an aerodrome at Port Hedland which is a regular port of call for the aircraft of Western AustralianAirways on the Perth-Derby route. Many of the sheep stations in the district have their own aerodromes. A visit to the De Grey Sheep Station, about 50 miles inland along a bushtrack, was arranged, and thoroughly enjoyed by the officers and airmen oS duty. The station extends over about 600,000 acres, and carries some50,000 sheep, which were being shorn at the rate of 2,000 a day at the time of the visit. During the journey a large number of kangaroos were seen,and wild pig and turkey were shot. Topees were discarded, oil coolers were removed, and stowed. were passed about 20 miles X. of Onslow, and the divers could be seen movingon the bottom in about 10 fathoms. The average temperature in the hull during the flight was 61, and Evans'jackets were worn. The landing area at Carnarvon was marked by a motor boat carrying awind indicator on a mast, and after landing the boats were taxied down a buoyed channel to moorings about 1 k miles away and J mile from the shoreoff Mangrove Point. Communications between the mooring site and the shore is very difficult,except near high tide. The fuel had been stored ashore, and the only boat available for bringing it off could only carry about half the quantity required.This boat had been loaded up and anchored near the mooring site before the flight arrived, and the first half of the refuelling was done without trouble.The fuel boat had grounded as the tide went out, and the remainder of the fuel could not be got out till 02 00 the following morning. Refuelling to 500 galls,was completed by 04.00, each boat takii g in about 400 galls. The landing and mooring areas at Carnarvon are very exposed and the weather forecast wasfor heavy N.W. to \V. weather off the W. coast. As it would have been unsafe to leave the flying-boats without their full crews under these circum-stances, anda s it was necessary to " take off " with full load on the next stage, it was decided to leave for Perth at daylight. Thursday, June 7. Carnarvon to Perth. 460 miles. (6 hrs. ;77 knots.)—At 06.40 moorings were slipped. The weather was fine with a clear sky, good visibility, and a slight swell. The Flight taxied out clearof the shoals and took off independently in Tecos Channel at 06.55 in an average of 35 sees., carrying 500 galls, of petrol, and left for Perth accom-panied by " Widgeon " II, which has taken off from the aerodrome. The course followed was over Shark Bay, where there are many sheltered inletsapparently suitable for flying boats, but with poor land communications ; across the neck of land south of Freycinet Estuary to the open sea, and thencedown the coast to Geraldton and Perth. Geraldton was an emergency base for the Flight, it was not required and appeared rather open. Fort Gregoryappears to have good but limited deep water sheltered from all directions.
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