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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 1009.PDF
FLIGHT, NOVEMBER 16, 1933 AT SOURABAYA : The business of adjustments, refuelling, etc., when Astraea was at Sourabaya, Java, caused considerable interest amongst the native population. soon the Astraea, too, was up over the waterlogged paddy fields. It was fine, but cloudy, with heavy cloud masses ahead. The mountains, which form an air navigation difficulty between Bangkok and Rangoon, were ahead, the highest peaks shooting up to 9,000 ft., though only marked on the map at many thousands of feet lower. Soon we were at 4,000 ft., flying over a layer of thick clouds, with a hole here and there showing fleeting glimpses of the country beneath. The clouds closed in ahead and climbing to 10.000 ft. they were entered. Flying blind in thick murky grey clouds. The windows frosted over with the heavily laden moisture and all we in the cabin could do was to watch the instruments now and again and note the steady climb so as to clear those mountains. Two of the crew were asleep—no one was worrying. Then, just as suddenly, out came the Astraea into sunlight. We had just crossed the divide and away below appeared the moun tain tops. They fell steeply to the plain and were clothed with the thickest forest right to their peaks. A trickle of white appeared on the mountain side—the foam of cas cading water—till lower down it formed into a mountain river, roaring in a broad ribbon of white between the dense foliage. A picturesque sight, indeed, but one cal culated to provide a chill to the flyer in a machine ill- equipped for flying over such country. The remainder of the trip to Rangoon was flown in fair weather, a remarkably lucky feature, and soon, after traversing the inundated areas we were now used to, the Astraea was circling the big pagoda at Rangoon. This world-famous Buddhist pagoda is of imposing size and, entirely covered with gold leaf, glistened and shone in the sun—a never-to-be-forgotten sight. We landed on the aerodrome, having flown 420 miles in 3 hr. 50 min. Owing to heavy rain and adverse weather reports, a day was spent at Rangoon, and a most interesting day it was, too. The pagodas and Buddhas, some of them of huge size, were inspected with interest. The city, too, has some magnificent modern banks and public buildings, in which marble and bronze supply a finish of luxury and stability. Numerous pretty lakes are to be found on the outskirts of the city, and the native quarters were full of interest. On Saturday afternoon we attended the local pony races. A magnificent course, improved to the last word, in a picturesque setting of green. In a land where labour is cheap the lawns, trees and shrubs showed minute care and attention. On the grandstands there were 150 big over head fans spinning, and 100 more in the tea rooms, while some of the numerous private boxes had desk fans installed The native women in race-day finery, presented a never- to-be-forgotten sight. The beautifully draped garments of the Parsee women were the most pleasing, and the hair and hat decorations of the Burmese women the most peculiar. The coarse black bundle of hair is brought up through an open-topped and brimless hat, like a pot, and fixed with a comb. Under the hat is stuck, hanging down, a bouquet of flowers. One lady, not content with dia monds on head and in her ears, had these stones stuck in each side of her nose. The little Arab stallions, trimmest of the trim, all under 13.1 hands, treated us well, one coming away winning 18 rupees. July 16, 1933 Weather report bad, but took off for Calcutta via Akyab, and got a lucky run as far as the latter place, flying low under a leaden sky and over the usual sea of water. The rain started just before reaching Akyab and we landed in the rain. At Akyab we saw a familiar machine, a " Moth " flown from Australia by Woods, a West Austrahan Airways pilot. He was stuck up waiting a better weather report ahead. A quick refuel and into the air again, the Astraea lifting from the sodden ground without difficulty, though nearly becoming bogged in taxying out. Woods wisely decided to stay in Akyab, having only a single-engined plane and not being fitted with direction-finding wireless. Akyab had experienced 6 in. of rain in two days, and it was still raining hard. The Astraea was soon out over the sea, flying in light rain and with black clouds ahead. They could not be avoided, and, flying low to keep the water in sight, with a shock and tremor the big machine hit the first gust. Again the cabin windows misted over and the interior grew dark as the clouds and rain whipped by. Luckily the intense blasts of rain were soon driven through and less turbulent areas flown into, and so it was for two-and-a-half hours in and out of these big storms till after passing the mouths of the Ganges on nearing Calcutta, steady drench ing rain was flown into, which made it necessary to locate the aerodrome by direction-finding wireless. This was easily done, and a landing effected at Dum Dum aero drome. The Astraea and her crew had again proved themselves and had flown that day 725 miles in 5 hr. 50 min., flying time. The big machine, safely in the hangar, fairly oozed water for half-an-hour, the cabin inside, despite careful design, leaking a good deal of water and some of the luggage getting wet. And so ended the survey trip of the Astraea, London- Melbourne-Calcutta—21,500 miles at an average speed of a decimal point or so over 120 m.p.h. Machine and engines perfect in every detail, and ready to carry out the Calcutta-Karachi Air Mail run, leaving Dum Dum aero drome at 5 a.m. to-morrow morning. When this perform ance is considered in its true light, it is magnificent. It ranks with other epic flights to Australia as the triumph of a good staff and a modern machine. To-night the second chapter is commenced in The Great Eastern Hotel, Calcutta. We dined at 8.45 p.m., the same time as at the Minto Mansions Hotel, Rangoon—after 1149
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