Map of the Air Race route

There were more than 60 entrants when the race was announced but this was whittled down to twenty aircraft from six countries that actually made the race start, as shown below in finishing order. Only twelve aircraft finished the route.

*Indicates did not finish.

The famous de Havilland DH.88 Comets were developed specifically for this race. de Havilland offered to build these highly customised race planes for the reduced price of £5000, requiring nine months notice. Five were ordered, and three were built (The Green ‘Un #19, Grosvenor House #34, and Black Magic #63).

One of the more remarkable entrants was Australian C.J. “Jimmy” Melrose. Jimmy was the youngest pilot in the field, at only 21 years old. He had just broken the record time flying from Australia to England, and amazingly, he entered the MacRobertson Air Race as his return trip to Australia.

KLM (Royal Dutch Air Lines) entered a 14-seat Douglas DC-2 airliner called the Uiver (Dutch for Stork). This was run as a commercial flight, carrying three passengers (two Dutch bankers; Pieter Gilissen, Roelof Domenie and German aviatrix and journalist Thea Rasche) and 25,000 letters. KLM did the full 22 stop-over version of the race.

Mildenhall RAF base, 60 miles north of London, was chosen as the departure point due to it’s space and modern facilities.

The KLM Uiver crew (colourised image). Left to right: Cornelis van Brugge (Radio Operator), Koene Dirk Parmentier (Pilot), Jan Johannes Moll (Co-pilot) and Bouwe Prins (Flight Engineer).

On day one of the race (20th October, 1934), the Uiver led to Athens, with the Boeing 247D second. Grosvenor House taking the lead by the time they arrive at Allahabad.

On day two, Grosvenor House led to Singapore. The Uiver was only eight hours behind despite making more stopovers.

Grosvenor House had an engine problem requiring shutdown over the Timor Sea. In Darwin the engine was inspected, with no fault found. Grosvenor House continued and arrived at Charleville about the time the Uiver landed at Darwin. Grosvenor House then set off for Melbourne with the Uiver arriving at Charleville that night before headed south.

Boeing 247D Warner Bros Comet arriving at Laverton. Piloted by Roscoe Turner, with co-pilot Clyde Pangborn and radio operator Reeder Nichols, the Boeing finished third in the race.

That night and just 300km from Melbourne, the Uiver became lost in a severe thunder storm. With ice forming on the wings and only an hour of fuel remaining, the Uiver needed to find somewhere to land. The people of Albury came to the aid of the plane, in what is now a legendary story and the Uiver was able to make a landing on Albury Racecourse.

Grosvenor House was first to arrive at Melbourne, crossing the finishing line at Flemington racecourse at 3:34 pm on 23rd October 1934, a record time in the air of 70 hours, 54 minutes, 18 seconds.

After its forced landing at Albury the Uiver was freed from the mud on the morning of the 24th October, and minus two crew, passengers and cargo, was able to take off and fly to Melbourne to finish the race in second place overall, taking the handicap prize, despite the dramatic events of the night before. The Uiver’s flying time was 90 hours, 18 minutes, 51 seconds.

The race winners, Charles Scott and Tom Campbell Black, arriving at Laverton in their de Havilland DH.88 Comet ‘Grosvenor House’.

The Duke of Gloucester presents race winners Charles Scott and Tom Campbell Black with the gold air race trophy at Melbourne, Sir Macpherson Robertson at right. (State Library, VIC)

And so, the worlds greatest air race came to a close. It was run only 31 years after the dawn of aviation (the Wright Brothers first powered flight at Kitty Hawk in 1903) yet it was the beginning of modern intercontinental air travel as we know it today.

For more information please contact us at info@uivermemorial.org.au