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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 1060.PDF
Ib62 FLIGHT. OCTOBER II, 1934. FLIGHTS BETWEEN ENGLAND AND AUSTRALIA In view of the fact that the journey between this country and Australia may be accomplished within the space of two or three days by competitors in the MacRobertson England-Australia Race, it may be of interest to examine and compare the efforts of various pilots of both sexes who have attempted to reduce the time taken for this 12,000 mile journey. In the fifteen years since the brothers Smith made the first successful flight to Australia, the time taken for the journey has been steadily reduced from four weeks to six and a half days. What is to be the pace set by the MacRobertson pilots ? THE PIONEERS: Sir Keith Smith, Sir Ross Smith, Sergt. J. M. Bennett and Sergt. W. A. Shiers, who made the first flight from England to Australia, in 1919, on a Vickers " Vfany" (Rolls-Royce " Eagle VIII "). England-Australia, 1919.—Capt. G. C. Matthews and Sergt. Kay, on a Sopwith "Wallaby" (375 h.p. Rolls-Royce). Left Hounslow October 21, 1919. Crashed Island of Bali (East Indies), April 1920, when landing. Occupants uninjured. England-Australia, 1919.—Lt. R. Douglas and Lt. J. S. L. Ross, on Alliance biplane (450 h.p. Napier " Lion"). Left Hounslow November 13. Crashed Surbiton, both killed. England-Australia, 1919.—Capt. C. E. Howell and Corpl. G. H. Fraser, on Martinsyde A.I. biplane (275 h.p. Rolls- Royce "Falcon"). Left Hounslow December 4. Wrecked off Corfu December 10. Pilots and machine lost. * England-Australia, 1919.—Capt. Ross Smith and Lt. K. M. Smith, with Sergts. W. H. Shiers and J. M. Bennett, on a Vickers " Vimy " biplane (two 350 h.p. Rolls-Royce " Eagle VIII"). Left Hounslow November 12 (9.10 a.m. G.M.T. Arrived Port Darwin December 10 (5 a.m. G.M.T.). Time 4 weeks 2 days. Distance 11,294 miles. England-Australia, IQTQ.—Capt. G. H. Wilkins, Lt.' D. R. Williams, Lt. G. H. Potts and Lt. V. Rendle, on a Blackburn "Kangaroo" biplane (two 275 h.p. Rolls-Royce "Falcon"). Left Hounslow November 21. Flight abandoned at Suda Bay owing to engine damage, December 8. * England-Australia. 1920.—Lt. H. Parer and Lt. J. Mclntosh on a D.H.g biplane. Left Hounslow January 9. Arrived Port Darwin August 2. * En gland-Australia, 1926.—Sir Alan Cobham and A. B. Elliott on a D.H.50J biplane seaplane (385 h.p. Armstrong Siddeley "Jaguar"). Left Rochester June 30. Arrived Port Darwin August 5. Time 5 weeks. At Basra Elliott was fatally shot by an Arab. Flight continued with Sergt. Ward, R.A.F. At Darwin wheels were fitted and machine flown to Melbourne and back. * Australia-England, 1926.—Sir Alan Cobham, Sergt. Ward and C. S. Capel. Return flight. Left Darwin September 4. Arrived Thames, Westminster, October 1. Time 3 weeks 6 days. Total 28,000 miles in 78 days. *'England-Australia, 1927-28.—Capt. W. N. Lancaster and Mrs. Keith Miller, on an Avro " Avian " (30-80 h.p. "Cirrus "). Left Croydon October 14. Crashed Muntok, D. East Indies, January 10, 1928. Resumed flight March 12, 1928. Arrived Port Darwin March 19, 1928. *England-Australia (solo), 1928.-—Sqd. Ldr. Bert Hinkler on an Avro "Avian" (30-80 h.p. "Cirrus"). Left Croydon February 7 (C.48 a.m.). Arrived Port Darwin February 22 (6 a.m.). Time 15^ days. Distance 11,000 miles. Record. Australia-England, 1928.—Capt. F. Hurley, F/O. S. J. Moir and F/O. Owen, on a Ryan monoplane. Left Sydney October 30. Crashed Athens November 26, machine damaged and two injured. Flight abandoned. * England-Australia, 1929.—Fit. Lt. S. J. Moir and P/O. H. C. Owen on a Vickers " Vellore" (460 h.p. Armstrong- Siddeley "Jaguar"). Left Brooklands March 18. Arrived Cape Don Lighthouse, N. Australia, May 26. England-New Zealand, 1929.—F. Mase on a Simmonds "Spartan" biplane ("Cirrus III"). Left Lympne April 24. Crashed at Roanne (Loire). Flight abandoned. *Australia-England, 1929.—Sqd. Ldr. C. E. Kingsford-Smith, C. T. P. Ulm, T. McWilliams and H. A. Litchfidd, on a Fokker monoplane Southern Cross (three Wright " Whirlwind "). Left *D-enotes flights completed. Sydney June 25. Arrived Croydon July 10. 12,000 miles in 12 days 14 hr. 18 min.. (Ex. Derby.) Record. * England- Australia (solo), 1929-30.—F. C. Chichester on a D.H. "Moth" ("Gipsy"). Left Croydon December 20. Arrived Port Darwin January 25. Time 5 weeks. * England-Australia, 1930.—F/O. H. L. Piper and F/O. C. Kay on a Desoutter monoplane ("Cirrus Hermes"). Left Croydon February 9. Arrived Port Darwin March 23. Time 7 weeks. Australia-England, 1930.—D. Smith and Lt. Shiers on a Ryan monoplane. Left Sydney March 24. Crashed at Bang- kok, May. Flight abandoned. England-Australia (solo), 1930.—C. H. Parkerson on a D.H. " Moth." Left Lympne March 23. Crashed Arquel. Flight abandoned. * England- Australia (solo), 1930.—Miss Amy Johnson on a D.H. "Moth" ("Gipsy"). Left Croydon May 5. Arrived Port Darwin May 24. 9,900 miles in 19J days. En gland-Australia, 1930.—E. L. Hook and J. Matthews on a D.H. " Moth " (" Gipsy "). Left Lympne June 20. Crashed near Tomas, Burma, July 3. Hook died, Matthews rescued. Australia-England (solo), 1930.—A. P. Cunningham on a Genairco biplane ("Cirrus Hermes"). Left Sydney July 3T. Crashed at Ramro Island, but eventually reached Calcutta on October 16. Flight abandoned. * England- Australia (solo) 1930.—Capt. F. R. Matthews on a D.H. " Puss Moth " ("Gipsy III"). Left Croydon September 16. Arrived Port Darwin October 18. Time 4 weeks 4 days. England-Australia, 1930.-—Maj. C. E. M. Pickthorne and F/O. C. J. Chabot on a D.H. "Puss Moth" ("Gipsy III"). Left Croydon October 6. Reached Karachi October 13. Flight abandoned. 'England-Australia (solo), 1930.—Fit. Lt. C. W. Hill on a D.H. "Moth" ("Gipsy"). Left Lympne October 5. Crashed near Atamboea October 17. Resumed flight Decem- ber 9, reached Port Darwin December 10. Time 7 weeks 5 days. * England-Australia (solo), 1930.—Wing Com. C. E. Kings- ford-Smith on an Avro "Avian Sports" ("Gipsy II"), Southern Cross Junior. Left Heston October 9. Arrived Port Darwin October 19. 10,000 miles in 9 days 21 hr. 40 min. * England-Australia (solo), 1930.—Oscar Garden on a D.H. "Moth" ("Gipsy"), Kia Ora. Left Lympne October 17. Arrived Wyndham November 4. Time 18 days. England-Australia (solo), 1931.—G. P. Fairbairn on a Spar- tan "Arrow" ("Gipsy II"). Left Hanworth February 19. Reached Nice February 20. Flight abandoned. *England-Australia (solo), 1931.—C. W. A. Scott on a D.H. "Moth" ("Gipsy II"). Left Lympne April 1. Arrived Port Darwin April 10. 10.500 miles in 9 days 4 hr. 11 min. Record. * Australia-England (solo), 1931.—C. W. A. Scott on a D.H. "Moth" ("Gipsy II"). Left Wyndham May 26. Arrived Lympne June 5. Time 10 days 23 hr. Record. England-Australia, 1931.— H. F. Broadbent on a Black- burn "Bluebird " (" Gipsy II "). Left Hanworth March 29. Reached Constantinople April 1. No further news. En gland-Australia, 1931.—Capt. N. Stack and J. R. Chap- lin on a Vicker's "Vivid" (550 h.p. Napier "Lion"). Left Lympne May 2. Flight abindoned at Crnstantinnple.
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