NINE MILES UP

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21903, 2 October 1936, Page 11

NINE MILES UP

—: —♦ record plight over ENGLAND PILOT TELLS HIS STORY FIGHT FOR AIR WHEN COMING DOWN (BRtXlSp‘Omci*.L WIRELESS.) (Received October 1, 7.5 RUGBY, September 30. A dramatic story of his experience, in the upper air was told by Squadron Leader S wayne, a test pilot attached to the experimental section of the Royal Air Force establishment at Farnborough, who has been personally congratulated by the Air Minister (Lord Swinton) on the success of his flight of 3 hours 20 minutes, in which he broke the world’s altitude record on Monday. It was the Royal Air Force’s first attempt on the record, and by reaching a height of 49,967 feet. Squadron Leader Swayne beat the previous record established last month by a French pilot by 1296 feet.

The great achievement was accomplished in a specially designed Bristol 138 open aeroplane, fitted with a Pegasus engine. The fuselage is of monococque construction, rounded in front and rectangular in the rear. With a wing span of 66 feet, it is one of the largest single-engined aeroplanes ever built. The pilot, who was encased in a helmeted sealed flying suit to give him warmth and oxygen in the rarefied upper eir, said the most critical moment in the flight occurred during the descent, when he began to feel suffocated. Squadron Leader Swayne said: “I had the impression that I was getting short of oxygen. I was gradually feeling weaker. I pressed the release lever whicji should have opened the cockpit cover, but that failed to function. I tried the zin cord attached to my suit for such an emergency, but cOuld not find the fastener. Over my suit I was wearing fighting harness, and parachute harness. I had to get my head cl-ar of + he helmet as I was gradually g. tt ; ng weaker, and the only thing to do was to cut open the window of the helmet with a clasp knife. I had great difficulty in deing this because I was feeling so weak, but with a final effort I thrust the knife through and slit the window, tearin" it off with my hand. As soon as the fresh air got in I felt better, I found that I was then 14,000 feet up, over Yeovil.” Describing the view as he looked down firm 46.0C0 feet, Squadron Leader Swayne r aid: “I could see the whole of the Engl'sh south coast, fr: m M rgat • to Land’s End, and north almost as far as the Wash. London looked like a toy town, and the Thames like a piece of narrow ribbon. South, I could see the coast of France, and the Channel Is--1 nds, looking like Small stones in the bed of a river. I felt small and lonely, and had, the impression that England was a very small place.”

KING’S CONGRATULATIONS TO AIR FORCE PILOT LONDON, September 30. King Edward from Balmoral sent a message ■ of congratulation to Squadron Leader Swayne, of the Royal Air Force, “oh your fine achievement in breaking the altitude record with all-British equipment.”