IN TWELVE HOURS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 85, 11 April 1931, Page 18

IN TWELVE HOURS.

EUROPE TO AMERICA. LATEST AIR WONDER. The first "stratosphere airplane," designed to fly from Europe to America in twelve hours at an altitude of approximately twelve miles, is nearing completion at the Junkers airplane works at Dressau. The first trial flights are to take place in the spring, and the'first pilot has been selected., He as Herr Neuenhoven, a member of the Junkers works. The "stratosphere airplane" "is one of two inventions with which Professor Hugo Junkers hopes to revolutionise air transportation. The other invention is a crude oil Diesel airplane motor with which successful trial flights were made last year. Once this crude oil motor is running to his satisfaction, Professor Junkers hopes to realise a dream of many years—the construction, of a monster all-wing airplane, capable of carrying one hundred passengers in cosy cabins built right inside the wing. Far Above Storms. The "stratosphere airplane" is to go so far up in the air that it will be far above all fogs or clouds or storms, in an atmosphere eternally calm and so rarified that air-resistance -is reduced to a minimum and makes possible speeds of 400 and 500 miles an hour. The first "stratosphere airplane" is a Tather small machine, seating only the pilot and two companions; The cabin is airtight, and will be furnished with apparatus to produce artificial air at normal pressure. The machine will have only a single motor, which will be protected from the icy cold by a, double-walled covering through which will be passed the hot exhaust gases of the motor itself. Above all, the airplane will have to develop a sturdiness and ability to withstand pressure hitherto unthought of in airplane construction.