SANDOWAY RIVER, THARRAWADDY, BETWEEN AKYAB (NOW SITTWE) AND RANGOON, BURMA, 1920-04-02. THE FIRST ...

SANDOWAY RIVER, THARRAWADDY, BETWEEN AKYAB (NOW SITTWE) AND RANGOON, BURMA, 1920-04-02. THE FIRST SINGLE ENGINED AEROPLANE FLIGHT FROM GREAT BRITAIN TO AUSTRALIA BY RAY PARER AND JOHN MCINTOSH. THE P.D., FLANKED BY NATIVE RESCUES, WARMING UP ON THE LOWER BANK OF THE RIVER PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. ENGINE FAILURE AND BAD TERRAIN HAD FORCED A LANDING ON A SAND BAR IN THE RIVER. THE SANDY GROUND WAS ROUGHLY CLEARED OF VEGETATION BY THE NATIVES TO ENABLE TAKEOFF.