Without the glitter of Publicity which generally characterises such accomplishments, the Royal Air Force has broken the world's record for non-stop long distance flight. Three Vickers Wellesley machines of standard service type, modified for long range development work, have flown from Ismailia, Egypt, to Port Darwin, Australia, two making the flight with-Out pause and the third after one stop for refuelling, but only after the Russian record had been eclipsed. The total time occupied in covering the distance of 7,162 miles between the two points was a little over 48 hours which gives an average speed of approximately 150 miles an hour, not a high speed but a safe cruising speed based on the most economic and efficient consumption of fuel during such a sustained period. Had such a flight been made by a single civilian machine with the record as the dazzling motive and reward, it might have been spectacular for, in a world accustomed to dwindling distances, imagination has not yet grown so stale ar to be unimpressed by further successful efforts in the sphere of aviation. As it is, the flight by an entire squadron sets a more valuable stamp of usefulness on it for it represents the most advanced stage yet reached in the long distance fying programme of the R.A.F. In recent con-Siderable emphasis has been placed on this aspect of R.A.F. work. With bases scattered all Over the world at great distances from the Home country, the air arm loses its effectiveness if its radius of operations is restricted to short, "hops" governed by fuel supplies and base facilities, Wherever possible, Singapore being a case in point, it has been the policy of the British air authorities in recent years to equip or strengthen establishments abroad direct from Home, endeavouring to make these supply flights a part of actual training. As a test of standard equipment used in prac cally ordinary service conditions by a personnel trained in this specialist branch of flying, the flight to Australia has proved an outstanding success and is an encouraging indication of the wider sphere of activity made possible by this enterprising unit of the R.A.F. It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Hongkong may soon become the terminus for non-stop flights from London.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.