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TURNER BACK HOME AGAIN

American Planes Given Praise

Pilot Says Australian Race Prize Cash $6000, but His Costs Total 425,000

Home from the greatest air race in history came Col. Roscoe Turner yesterday, a conquering hero - a dozen planes hovered over his ship - although circumstances forced him to take but third prize.

At his side as the steamship Mariposa docked at Los Angeles Harbor from Australia yesterday were Clyde Pangborn, his navigator, and Reeder Nichols, his operator, in the London-Melbourne flight.

AVIATRIX ABOARD

Also waving at the rail to the throng gathered below was a fourth entrant in the race, Fraulein Thea Rasche, the German aviatrix, who rode as a passenger in the second-place plane of Parmentier and Moll, Hollanders.

"Well," said Col. Turner, after he had kissed Mrs. Turner, "this race showed a lot.  In the first place it convinced me that regular commercial service across the Pacific, toughing at Honolulu, Fiji and Australia, is practical.  Then it showed up the superiority of American commercial planes.  The British first-place plane, you know, was a strictly racing job.

PHOTOGRAPHERS BUSY 

"The Europeans went crazy over our planes.  My ship" - a note of pride crept in his voice- "had more pictures taken of it than any other in the world.  And Miss Rasche's ship, a Douglas transport, made here, was photographed almost as many tines.

"Then I come to another matter of some moment.  This trip cost me $25,000.  I got $6000 in prize money.  Figure it out for yourself."

FRAULEIN GIVES PRAISE

His plane, a Boeing transport, was aboard the ship, lashed to an upper deck.

Fraulein Rasche, buoyant 30-year-old German aviatrix, joined in the praise for American planes, exclaiming:

"And how!  they're good.  I'll say.  I get a kick out of American slang and American planes and the American aviators are swell, fine fellows."

Miss Rasche, who took quarters at the Ambassador for a two weeks' or more stay, is here to discuss problems of women aviators.  Her program includes a luncheon Tuesday at which the aviation fraternity of the University of Southern California will make her an honorary life member.  Mrs. Ulysses Grand McQueen of Beverly Hills is in charge of the fraulein's visit.

WORLD TRIP PLANNED

Panghorn, meanwhile, turned his thoughts from the Melbourne race in which the Turner plane got off the course to plan for a super-flight around the world, non-stop, all refueling in the air.

"Nichols and I and another man will probably try it, starting from New York next summer," he said.

Panghorn said the ship to be used is now under construction in New Jersey.  Present plans call for refueling over Moscow and Chita, Siberia, he said.  He believes the trip can be completed within four days.

The Turner plane, a strictly commercial job, which will be put on regular United Airline service, was handicapped by a ruling on weight, Col. Turner said, explaining:

"Our reserve tanks were removed and we could not hit high speeds because it used gas too fast.  We were also handicapped by my unfamiliarity with the course.  I was the only pilot who hadn't flown it.  We got lost for a time."

"DEAD" PLANE CUMBERSOME

Incidentally, Col. Turner learned that moving a huge airplane under its own power is one thing and transporting it across country on trucks and trailers is quite another.  His huge Boeing transport was [[?]] by Pacific Crane and Rigging, Inc.


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