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Aviation History
1931
1931 - 1285.PDF
FLIGHT. DECEMBER 11, 1931 FLiSH, PHOTO. The Return of Bert HInkler Three Minutes late at Hanworth CENE: A perfect English winter day at Hanworthaerodrome ; blue sky above and the low sun shining through the slight ground mist. A large force offoot and mounted police to keep the crowd from rushing the aerodrome and possibly damaging the " PussMoth "; a very select party of eminent air folk in the club enclosure, and a complete absence of any crowdwhatsoever—such was the setting for the return of Sqd. Ldr. Bert Hinkler, A.F.C., D.S.M., from Canada viaNew York, Jamaica, Maracaibo, Trinidad, Brazil, Gambia, Spain and France. It was certainly a different scene fromthat at Croydon in 1927 when Lindbergh flew over from Paris after his solo crossing of the Atlantic. It was, nonethe less, much more comfortable for Bert Hinkler's friends who wanted to have an intimate chat with the great littleman after his 18 months of absence from this country and his many adventures. His arrival had been timed for 14 hours, and we knewthat Bert has his own ideas on the subject of punctuality. He left Le Bourget, so we were told at Hanworth, at 12.15.By 2 p.m. all was in readiness for his arrival, and three minutes later a silver " Pu.=s Moth " with red struts andthe Canadian registration letters CF-APK flew unosten- tatiously across the bright blue of the sky and circledround to land. Various light aeroplanes had been buzzing up and down all the morning, and had it not been for the hour and the Canadian registration marks, the arrivalof the hero of the day might well have passed unnoticed. With N.F.S. mechanics on his wing tips he taxied intoa roped enclosure in front of the club sheds. Through the windows we could see the pilot taking off a soft felt hat,which doubtless he had worn all the way from America. One cannot imagine Bert Hinkler buying new clothes inthe course of a flight in order to make a well-groomed appearance on arrival. He stepped out of the machinelooking not one whit different from the Bert Hinkler who flew the Avro " Baby " to Turin. He was wearing a darksuit, somewhat the worse for the attentions which he always pays to his engine when aground, a woolly sweaterunder his coat and a little yellow badge in his button- hole. At once the pack of photographers set to work andwreaked their wicked will upon him, with endless requests to " hold up your hand again " and " give us a smile,Mr. Hinkler." Then he was carried shoulder high to the platform, where he was welcomed by the Under-Secretaryof State for Air, Sir Philip Sassoon, and the other Big Noises. Mrs. Hinkler was there, dressed most becominglyin black with a black hat, and a white fur round her neck. The Air Council was represented by Air Marshal SirGeoffrey Salmond, the civil side of the Air Ministry by Col. Shelmerdine, the Royal Aeronautical Society by Mr.Griffith Brewer, and the Master of Sempill was also there. 1207
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