WOMAN DECORATED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 177, 28 July 1944, Page 5

WOMAN DECORATED

Flights Inside Experimental Flying Bomb GERMAN TESTS IN 1942 Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, July 27. Mrs. Anna Reisch, who flew inside an experimental flying bomb in November, 1942, has been awarded the Iron Cross, first class, states Berlin radio. "During tests the flying bombs tended to lose their wings after a very short flight," said the announcer. "It was decided to take out the explosives and send up a test pilot inside the plane. Mrs. Reisch was chosen because of her extraordinary characteristics. Insensible to pressure, she is a biological phenomenon. When diving in gliders she has reached 500 miles an hour.

"Mrs. Reisch was placed in a specially-built machine. There were no instruments because the flying bomb is meant to reach its target without, human direction. There was only an emergency landing device. Mrs. Reisch made the flight in a nearly horizontal position, gazing through a periscope. After four days the cause of the trouble was found, but Mrs. Reisch was seriously injured."

Flying bomb activity was resumed over Southern England early to-day after a lull from yesterday afternoon. Damage and casualties were caused in the London area. Wardens reported that incendiaries were dropped from flying bombs in country districts on Tuesday night.