Sydney, Jan. 10, An attempt to lower the world' nonstop flight record from London to Singapore is planned by the British Royal Air Force.
The air ministry announced that the flight, to be made some time this year, would be continued from. Singapore to Sydney it tests of the new VickersWellesley bomber to be used on the long hop, prove satisfactory to R.A.F. experts.
It was believed the flight would be made from Croydon, London, to Singapore, along the Great Circle route, a distance of approximately 7,000 miles. The length of the hop is believed to be well within the flying range of the new bomber, if extra fuel tanks are added to service equipment.
The new plane is the latest addition to the R. A. F. and is the first involved in large-scale production in England. It has a cruising speed. of 202 miles per hour, at 8,00 feet, and a flying range of 1,500 miles with standard equipment.
The present non. distance. record is officially held by France, a plane of that country having flown from the United States to Syria in 1933. Soviet airmen, however, have claimed the distance record with a hop from Moscow over the North Pole to California.
The trans. Polar flight, completed on July 14, 1937, is not yet recognized officially.
The great circle roule crosses Russia and southern China.
K. N. L L. M, or Royal Dutch Airways, and the British-owned Imperial Airways, have offered the R. A. F. the use of their radio and meteorological facilities, according to reports—United Press.
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