The other aircraft was forced out of the race when one of its tyres burst while landing at Cocos Island to refuel, but completed its flight to Christchurch after being repaired.

After a brief period in New Zealand both aircraft returned to Australia to be modified back to a standard configuration, and the flight was disbanded in November.

1 Long Range Flight, Minister for Air William McMahon described Cuming as the "RAAF's outstanding test pilot".

[1][5] Wing Commander Cuming told journalists in August that the Australian-made Canberras were preferred to the British models on the grounds of national prestige and because the aircraft were fitted with superior navigation equipment.

This involved making regular long range return flights between Laverton and Ceylon, Singapore and Christchurch via various air bases in Australia.

[6] On 2 September Cuming and Raw visited the Government Aircraft Factories facility at Fishermans Bend in Melbourne to thank the workers who were building Canberra bombers for the RAAF.

[8] Selected as Australia's entries in the London-to-Christchurch air race, A84-201 and A84-202 departed Laverton bound for the UK on 10 September 1953, and arrived at RAF Lyneham on the 16th of the month.

1 Long Range Flight ground crew were stationed in the UK, Bahrain, Ratmalana Airport in Ceylon, Cocos Island in the Indian Ocean and Christchurch.

[6] The detachments that were stationed at Bahrain and Ratmalana Airport left Laverton on board a RAAF Dakota transport on 25 September.

[9] Each of the detachments was led by a RAAF navigator, whose main role was to develop a flight plan for the next leg of the race and provide it to the aircrew to minimise the time they spent on the ground.

[15] Both Canberras later flew demonstration flights over Harewood Airport and RNZAF Base Whenuapai and returned to Laverton on 19 October.

[19] He was subsequently appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on 31 December 1953 for leading the flight and participating in the London-to-Christchurch air race.

[21] Squadron Leader Raw was also awarded the Air Force Cross for his role in the race, the decoration being presented to him by Queen Elizabeth II at Brisbane on 10 March 1954.

[19][23] Flight Lieutenant Francis Noel Davies, who had been Raw's co-pilot during the race, and two other airmen were killed on 16 June 1954 when A84-202 crashed near Amberley.