Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-19
DARING AUSTRALIAN
|. ON MOST PER|LOUS
FLIGHT OF HISTORY
Expects to Reach Irisf
Coast Within Twenty
Hours.
RAYNHAM'S HOPES BLASTED
WHEN MACHINE is DISABLED
Misfortune Intervenes Wher
Englisfman Tries to Follow
His Rival.
ANZAC OFF ALL TRADE ROUTES
Flyer Braying Gales and Elemcnt.
With Few Devices for
Personal Safety.
RAYNHAM'S HOPES BLASTED
WHEN MACHINE is DISABLED
ANzAC OFF ALL TRADE ROUTES
Flyer Braving Gales and Element.
With Few Devices for
Personal Safety.
ley Associated rress.

ST. JOHNS, y. F.. May 1S.-TIarry c;
1lawkcr. Australian aviator, and Com
mandcr Mackenzie Ciricvc, his navisa
tor. arc winginS their way across tn,
Atlantic tonight on the most perilou
airpiane flight in hIstor:
They took the air at $50 =. NJ. to.
day. Greenwich time u:55 r. NJ. New
York time), and expect to reach tn,
Irish coast in twenty hours unlcs:
some accident forces them to plun-,
into the sea.
Up to midnight no word had beer
received from Hawker since he started
on his transatlantic flight. Weather Z,
pfSports pS1o III from @ the :A,lantie were favor.
some of tho storm areas
When the Sopwi,h biplanc passed
northeast. headed for the open sea, /;
left behind with shattered hopes Haw.
ker's English rival. Frederick T.. Rayn.
in Martinsyde plane. and win glor,
ana ana, The $4,000 prize OF the Londor
Raynham was tuning up the engine
| OF mis- machine when Hawker nashcc
| over the English airdrome, dropping
| Sopwith to tighten the load he musi
carry. kaynham and his navigator
nnar'sS ths, sS w. T., Morgan. rsalized then
instantly they determined to follow
him, for, all their preparations hnc
ncch liaoc Weeks ago, but misfortune
intcrVencd.
Rear Axle Breaks.
AS the Martlnsyde TAXED" alone
the uneven surface OF the runway pre-.
paratory to the takc-off. rear axl.
machine plowed into the ground
Pilot and navigator were jammcd in
the wreckage, but apparently neither
was seriously hurt.
While Raynham's injuries we're be-
ing treated, Hawker was we'll on his
WA waX ,,s sunday ,,ha, sghtseers lstlessl,
he a trial flight OF the Sopwith. were
amazed when they saw the under car.
riaEe drop like u phmmet near the
m"r1,asn'e ,n mnsn usm,i a,raroms They knew IL
larry no longer, for it left him with
Hut H,'t landing equipment, but lightened
ms craft Tor his haza rdouS voyage
III inc daring Australian wins his
Sai.'oie win death II Will bring him
hrst honors in the nonstop transat-
iantlc r,!i. race undying fame and "a rich
Prize lie decided to risk everything
Mheh he heard OF the arrival OF tho
united states Navy's scaplane NC-4 ar
,iorta. and reiterated his statement
across although the venture of tho
haVE nE aircraft has no bearing on the
L'allN Mail contest, nor did they at
tempt nonstop flight.
Fiics Straight for ireland.
The twenty-hour journey planned nv
iiawker would land him on tho Irish
coast at about 1855 r. M. Creenwirn
tims tims tomorrow !a:55 a. NJ. New York
land. winging his way regardless of
shipping lanes.
y,rS nswker Ike, got away in lurching 800
careened and rocked recklessIy until until
=. hnmmock lifted 1T and its wings
start. tiawker was at the control
Ihc Sopwith began to saccd ,lp os
soon soon AS II foated into the air and
northeast. When he dropped his nm.
der carriase he and Gr:evc waved a
quick farewell. -
nair @ from the chosen course the little
plane faded rapidly from view. In fivc
MINUTES mn IT had dwindled TO q speci in
the SKY and IN six minutes IL was out
Of sight beyond the hills Guy
Hawker's start was made in Tho fac.
81 Wcather conditions which he charac-
siiie,: d" ~, not yet favora ble-but pos
sanis; re and his navigator gravelv
considered the hazards Of the attemnt
and decided to stake everything on a.,
chort 10 oeat the Americans
Increased Pressure Reported.
Overnight reports TO the m.teoro.
logical station had showed incrcascd
annoSphefic pressures. smoother seas
inu tho, ia'r barometer conditions Al
ali % t5ey homes hnned ana sne Pressnres pre- We're NOT
ordered their hand satchcls packed ana
made ready for the start
nswker considered weight as of
Gtmost H:rinn Importance: Lifting MacKenzie
Gr,eTeS nd,, bag lie found it heavy. and
Inquired inquired solicitously II he couldn't
HWrspense with ''pajamas on the trin.';
,,a men asked If he thought he would
lave I chance to sleep on the VOYAGE.
1aWker replied:
rho VEL VEL have long sleep coming at
n;r II eeM;n;.t WAS O'clock in the afternoon
aHreehwich timet wf.n Hawker Or
dsred his sopwi,h r!an out OF lis
nn nnangar Tor sround and wind test
Other end OF ths city Raynham Mad
Iouna cross. winds sweeping over his
Martinsyde take off" grounds.
hawker tried out the Sopw,h for
ffnihuIe fe or two and called conditions Is
Tor a start good enough" Gricye
final inspections
Piane Jerks Forward
~ 5:5l tGrechwich tfme) the Son
with was ready. At 5:55 sharp U.W I'
Hcr gave the word and the ground
crew let go" The little plane jerked n
uneven ground. -