Maurice's Blog

Hello

It seems that Maurice has managed to upset no one today. He telephoned me at 21.31hrs this evening, shattered again but jubilant. Fantastic flying! He and little G-KIRK have covered approx. 500 miles at very, very low level owing to head winds of up to 40mph. The desert was wonderful and M seemed quite moved by the scale and experience (compare and contrast with the sandbank off Nash Point here at home!). The combination of modest (very) top speed, head wind component and distance has meant 10 hours of flying. (I haven't checked the sums - it's too late and I haven't long been back from work - slaving over a hot PC and telephone.)

M arrived over a hill to Ha'il on his last sniff of fuel as the sun disappeared. He landed across the runway - I'm not sure why, but assume this was owing to the strong wind rather than showmanship. The reception for G-KIRK, the last aircraft of the race, was fantastic. Other competitors had left at lunchtime for Bahrain but the welcoming party, including the Chief of the Army, Governor of the District and District Army Secretary waited for M and treated him magnificently.

He was introduced to the city's mayor and taken by Cadillac to a restaurant where he was treated to an exquisite meal - his first for more than 4 weeks. (He would argue his first since marrying his not v. domesticated wife.)

Everyone who knows M will be aware of his dedication to this race by losing 20lbs b.wt in the run up to the race. Not only did this involve very strict calorific control by eating very little, but zero alcohol intake. His very weary family look forward to Maurice's resuming his red wine habit at the end of the race - in fact it is a condition of his return. He will press on to Bahrain tomorrow and will be aiming for Dubai, though wind speed and direction will dictate whether he achieves this.

KK (his wife)

M set off v early this morning, hoping to be in a position to push on to Dubai. However, they again covered about 500 miles in 10 hours which seems to be this intrepid pairs performance under desert conditions and were content to land at Bahrain. In order to make best use of a slight tail wind at 10,000 feet G-KIRK climbed to this altitude for the first time in her life! M says that they only actually achieved this altitude as they reached the Red Sea i.e. after 1.5 hrs of flight.

He also informed me that he froze owing to some complicated arrangement for fuel delivery pipes which means that the window does not close properly. In my pseudo-aviation mode I impressively asked whether these cold conditions had caused the carburettor to ice - a query that was met with derision as this problem is not encountered in dry climates.

Well, I tried and it could have been a wet day in the desert!

At this unaccustomed altitude for both M and G-KIRK M has literally spent today with his head in the clouds. G-KIRK has an oil leak which may necessitate a repair later, although I only ever remember her as having an oil leak anyway - a rather well documented oil leak at that.

They landed at Bahrain as the sun set and were again treated with wonderful hospitality.

Oman tomorrow - by lunchtime to catch the field and enjoy the remainder of the rest day.

I have been strongly advised to withdraw the De Havilland II from the race for two reasons:

1. The eighty gallons of fuel needed for the 600 mile legs has to be stored near the point of centre of gravity which is just behind the pilot’s seat, she being a pusher, as the wings are not strong enough. She simply cannot be modified for that weight of fuel.

2. I have been unable to raise sufficient funds to fulfil my life’s ambition, which is to fly to Australia in a real aircraft following the old route and reliving the experiences of the early pioneering aviators.

I am sorry to have let you all down.

We are all shattered with the decision to withdraw the DH II so near the race, but I still have my old faithful Piper Cub whose 12 gallon tank could be converted to 50 in the time remaining!

She was used in the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944 and was believed to be General Patton’s personal aircraft during the push up to Paris. In the depths of winter of 1975 I found her in a very poor state, in an old barn near Strasbourg, Eastern France. Her original name, Liberty Girl, with the appropriate ‘scantily dressed’ Marilyn Monroe type insignia, were still just visible.

In near blizzard conditions and deep snow, I eventually managed to get her home to England, hopping between petrol stations across France and relying on road signs for navigation due to the continuing inclement weather. Once across the Channel, Biggin Hill airfield refused me a landing as it was snow bound, so I landed on the adjacent golf course, where I was treated to lunch and made an honorary member!

She was re-registered G-KIRK and joined my squadron of vintage aircraft which included two other D-Day cubs, registered G-KERK and G-KURK, donated to French Flying Clubs by the American Army at the end of the war.

She now lives with us, sharing her field just outside the back door, with the horses and springer spaniels.

If a sponsor comes to the rescue, even at this late stage, we are ready to roll!

She was given a British permit to fly, but was later flown from one field to another, while I was out filming the Fastnet sailing tragedy in 1979. She was rebuilt 4 years ago and re-engined with a C90 just in time for our honeymoon in November 98.

We flew to Ireland and landed next to Josephine and Oliver Reed’s house, old, old friends (read my website www:kirkflyingvet.co.uk) and had a wonderful lunch in the local pub, he being fresh from an interview about some film called GLADIATOR.

He sat and imitated all these fat businessmen with cigars and had us in absolute stitches.

We left him sadly for the last time and flew around Ireland, my insisting that we neither used the radio or landed at an airfield.

It was therefore river banks, beaches and fields, conveniently adjacent to appropriate Irish hostelries. We camped in a tent tied to her wings.

She currently has a 12 gallon tank, no radio, no compass but an oil pressure gauge, air speed indicator and altimeter that all give some form of reading of questionable accuracy!

We are tomorrow putting in wing tanks and front seat tank of 60 gallons and pumping up the tyres for the extra weight!

We are desperate for cash (as you can imagine) and further sponsorship for the cost of the trip.

I will be fitting blind flying panel, if time is available and various other goodies.

She lives at our back door, the field being 180 yards, so we don’t get visitors.

More and more information when I have the time.

Maurice J Kirk