Aeroplane Monthly 1993-08
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A.Henshaw - Open cockpit over Africa
Victor Smith leaves Croydon in Comper Swift G-ABRE on December 15, 1932 on the first of three attempted flights to the Cape in this aircraft. He was forced down at St Malo and crashed the following day taking off to return to England. A second attempt was made on February 7, 1933 but ended at Oran with a landing accident. The third attempt, leaving Lympne on March 9, ended about 150 miles from Cape Town when Smith ran out of fuel after strong headwinds. G-ABRE was the Swift used by C. A. Butler on his record flight from England to Australia in November 1931.
Victor Smith and the Miles M.5 Sparrowhawk in which he competed in the 1936 Schlesinger Race. He was forced to retire at Cairo following forced landings at Skoplje and near Salonica. G-AELT became ZS-ANO and in 1940 became 1427 in the South African Air Force.