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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 0141.PDF
FLIGHT, FEBRUARY 13, 1931 :OUND AFRICA BY .IGHT 'PLANE fl'ST recently three Italian pilots have concluded a remarkable light 'plane tour round Africa, in which 27,600 km. (17,150 miles) were completed in days, including halts, or in 35 flying (lavs. Through the courtesy of Lieut.-Col. F. Bitossi, Air Attache to the Italian Embassy, we are able to publish this keek the following brief particulars of (this tour, together with an illustration of the type of machine used and a sketch map showing the route tollowed. The pilots in question were : Francis Lombardi, an ex- tar pilot who has accomplished other notable flights with the Fiat light aeroplane during recent years—for instance, Rome- Hogdishu (Italian Somaliland), and Vercelli (Italy) to Tokio. ;ount Mazzotti, a noted Italian sportsman, owner of the |sotta Fraschini works, and an enthusiastic motor racer, ngegnere Rasini was the third member of the " raid." This flight was carried out with Fiat A.S.2 high-wing aonoplanes. fitted with Fiat 90-h.p. A.50 air-cooled radial Mine. With the exception of some slight damage to Lom- The first A.S.2 light 'plane used by the three Italian pilots intheir flight round Africa. bardi's machine, as a result of his landing on swampy ground, all machines and engines went through the tour without any trouble. It will be seen from the accompanying map that on the outward journey the three pilots after striking Africa at Tripoli, and following the coast to Cairo, followed the Imperial Airways Cairo-Cape route. They completed the outward journey in 16 days, and stayed two weeks at Cape Town. On the return journey they followed the west coast route, spending ten days at Lagos, and later meeting Gen. Balbo's Atlantic squadron just before it set out for Brazil. The daily log of both outward and homeward flights are as follows :— L - AFRICA BY LIGHT 'PLANE : Map showing the out and home routes. 137 Outward. 1930. Oct. 28 „ 29 ,, 30 ,, 31 ,, 31 Nov. 1 „ 2 ,, 3 ,, 4 ,, 5 ,, 6 ,, 7 ,, 8 ,, 9 ,, 10 ,, 11 ,, 11 ,, 12 Return. 1930 Dec. 4 ,, 5 ,, 6 ,, 8 ,. 9 „ 10 ,, 11 ,, 12 ,, 22 „ 23 „ 241931 Jan. 1 ,. 2 t f f • 3 4 5 7 9 11 Rome-Catania Catania-Tripoli Tripoli-Benghazi Benghazi-Tobruk Tobruk-Cairo Cairo-Luxor Luxor-Wadi Haifa Wadi Haifa—Khartoum . . Khartoum-Malakal Malakal-Juba Juba-Nairobi Nairobi-Tabora Tabora-Abercorn Abercorn-Broken Hill Broken Hill—Bulawayo . . Bulawayo-Pretoria Pretoria-Bloemfontein . . Bloemfontein-Cape Town Total distance Cape Town-Luderitz Luderitz-Swakopmund . . Swakopmund-Mossamedes Mossamedes-LoandaLoanda-Boma Boma-Libreville Libreville-Akassa Akassa-Lagos Lagos-Abidjan Abidjan-Bamako Bamako-Dakar Dakar-Villa Cisneros Villa Cisneros-Agadir Agadir-Casablanca Casablanca-Fez Fez-Oran Oran-Tunis Tunis-Naples Naples-Rome Total distance Total distance out and home, 17,150 Miles 404 372-8 590-3 130-5 621 -4 497-1 298-3 385-2 528-2 372-8 590 • 3 372 • 8 310-7 466-1 553 • 1 422-5 279-6 571-7 7,767-4 621-4 310-7 621-4 559-2310-7 559-2 621-4 279-4 621-4 621-4 621-4 745-7 621-4 310-7 217-5 372-8 621 -4 621-4 124-3 9,383 0 4 miles. D2
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