AIR MONSTERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 246, 17 October 1928, Page 7

AIR MONSTERS.

BIGGER AND BIGGER.

Zepp. Commander Says Ships

Must Grow.

MISHAP HALVES SPEED.

(United Service.)

(Received 10 a.m.)

NEW YORK, October 16.

Dr. Eckener, commander of the Zeppelin LZI27, in an interview after the arrival of the airship at Lakehurst, New Jersey, after flying from Germany, said they were forced to cat the speed by half.

"This," he said, "was because the rear of the ship dipped after the lower cover was torn away and there waa a danger of its tearing away the upper cover. The fact that we repaired the damage in mid-Atlantic and came happily to America is a sign of the great stability of these ships.

"The weather was extremely bad, but four men climbed out in terrible wind and rain and rode the girders with the Atlantic under them while they secured the loose ends of the fin fabric. The Graf is not the ultimate size for transAtlantic service. We shall build them bigger and bigger until the moss efficient size is achieved."

ACCIDENT TO FIN.

Rumour Of Food Shortage

Denied.

WATER SUPPLY LOW.

(Australian and N.Z. Press Association.) (Received 10 a.m.)

NEW YORK, October 16.

The crew of the Zeppelin are scheduled to receive an official welcome in tho city to-day. It will commence with a visit to the City Hall, a parade up Broadway, after which there will be a private dinner. Then they will go to a theatre, where the}' will be given a further reception on the stage during the intermission.

Dr. Eckerter, the commander, declared to-day that he saw no signs of excitement among the passengers at the time when the accident happened to the fin. He stated that when they learned what has occurred, "they raised their glasses and drank to the health of everybody." Dr. Eckener seemed very tired, and said that he had not slept more than eight hours during the whole (trip.

He denied that there had been a shortage of food aboard, but' several of the passengers agreed that; the water supply almost gave out. Fortunately plenty of beer, wine and liquors were put aboard, all of which were consumed, except one bottle when, the airship landed.

HARD TO HANDLE.

TIFFS WITH AUTHORITIES.

(Australian Press Assn.—United Service.) NEW YORK, October 16.

,j The distance flown by the Zeppelin was 5600 miles. The party on board was greeted by Rear-Admiral Moffett, high German and American officials, and Government leaders, Thousands of ■ s people thronged the. field and broke through the police lines to swarm about the dirigible. Policemen and marines finally cleared the field.

Dr. Eckener, commander of the airship, was the first to appear. He remarked to the crowd: "We are delighted to be here." He received a tremendous ovation.« . . (f-

The LZI27 is proving most difficult to place in the hangar. Soldiers are still attempting to move it in to avoid stormy weather, but it will probably have to be moored to the mast to load water and ballast when the passengers leave.

Considerable unpleasantness was caused by disagreements and alleged discourtesies between the German passengers and the American officials. Unfamiliarity with each other's languages probably caused this.

One passenger, Mr. Theo Matiko, said he was struck on the face by an official when he was alighting. This was his first visit to the United States, but lis had found more courtesy among the natives of Albania and Bulgaria.

The passengers grouped together and held .au indignation meeting. They threatened to boycott the receptions planned for them if the Customs officers failed to allow them to leave the field quickly. However. Herr Karl von Lewinskl, .German. Consul-General, advised the passengers that the delay was due to Dr. Eckener's order that nobody must approach the airship. The Assistant- , Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Warner, was threatened with arrest by one of his own men.

Spanish interests have leased the Zeppelin for two years with the option of buying it, according to Colonel Emilio Herrera, of the Royal Spanish Navigation Department, a passenger.

PREVIOUS FLIGHTS.

DONE IN SHORTER TIME.

(British Official Wireless.) (Received 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, October 16. . The time taken on the journey of the LZI27 was longer than was anticipated owing to contrary winds necessitating a wide detour and causing some damai™ to the vessel. The gas fuel and petrol carried would, however, have been suffice erit for 120 hours flight.

Of the other trans-Atlantic airship flights, that of the ZR3, it is recalled, took 80 hours. That was four years ago. The British airship R34, which was the first that flew across the Atlantic, took 108 hours to reach America, and completed the journey home in 75 hours.

A running commentary : on the arrivaJ of the Graf Zeppelin in America after its boisterous four days' journey across the Atlantic was broadcast last night from Lakehurst, and was relayed from the British broadcasting stations last nijrht. Signals were relayed from the new experimental station at Chelmsford, which is not yet complete, and last niglit was the first occasion on which it has been used for this purpose. Atmospherics hampered the reception but the announcer at Lakehurst could be heard describing the scenes as thu great airship was anchored.'