BREMEN’S FLIGHT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 19 April 1928, Page 5

BREMEN’S FLIGHT

FOUGHT AGAINST STORMS. SPARE PARTS FOR ’PLANES FITZMAURIOB’S SEAT?OH v UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—BY ELECT K U TELEGRA PI I —COPYRIGHT.; (AUSTRALIAN PRESS ASSOCIATION.; NEW YORK, April 18. News from Natastiqiuui states that the Bremen’s crew were greatly surprised to see Schiller m his rescue ’plane. To them it looked “like a million dollars,” and they became wildly excited. The reaction of the flight strain was just beginning to attack them, but- Schiller’s coming cheered them greatly. Major F'itzmauriee was not at all au•xious to leave Ids companions, but felt it necessary. Schiller stated that their principal difficulty will be in inducing the ’plane, equipped to leave land or water, to rise from the snow. Pilot Koehl’s narrative of the flight states that the official time in the air was 36j hours. Ivoehl said the heavy fog off Newfoundland reached a- height of 200 feet. They tried to fly low but the high seas drove then, up again where they ran into a tremendous storm. The storm abated somewhat, but their fuel began to run low over the crowded country, 'then they came to a river and a mountain over which they managed to climb with difficulty. They were unable to locate their position, but at - last saw the lighthouse and alighted near it, as their fuel was exhausted. Schiller has arrived at the Clark City airport at Seven Island, 225 miles from Natashquan. He is accompanied by Major Fitzmaurice. Major Fitznnnirice, on arrival at Clark City, said he was proceeding to Murray Bay lor spare parts for installation on the Bremen. Tin’s in his belief would take approximately five days. He said: “The Atlantic flighty Why, it is just like any other trans-At-lantic flight. The most part was made at an altitude of 50 feet in order to obtain visibility.”

He described the first 24 hours of the flight as “successful.” Then the conditions grew worse until fog and wind combined as if intelligently to retard the progress of the fliers, who were not sure for a time whether they were of their course. RACE FOR FIRST PICTURES. A ’plane chartered by a cinema concern beat all rivals for pictures by heading in a general directum for New York to-night, leaving its rivals helplessly anchored at Seven Islands. President Coolidge has received a message signed by Koeld, Major Fitzmauriee and Baron Von Huenfeld: “We are deeply moved by your kind message of congratulations. The German crew of the aeroplane Bremen hopes to reach the great republic of the United States very soon, when they will personally express their great appreciation of ami thanks for your sympathetic interest in their work.” The Grenfell Mission Nurse, Miss Ferris, stated that Baron Huenfeld left the ’plane upon its arrival and proceeded to the lighthouse for dry footwear. He was suffering from cold. He refused to eat until his companions left the ’plane. His first meal was biscuits and fresh milk. The baron has a cold and wishes to reach New York. Koehl does not complain. Major Fitzrnanrice stated that- Ireland was much warmer. The first w.ords of all in foreign languages were “Thank God.” All are very modest.

LIGHTING SYSTEM FAILED. CAUSE OF DELAY IN LOCATING POSITION. CHEW ADVISED TO' LEAVE GREENLY" ISLAND. NEW YORK, April 18. A Point Armour message says Baron Huenfeld reported that the failure of the lighting system was the main cause of the Bremen’s loss of four hours’ time before locating her position, since they had to operate the machine .in the darkness. From Quebec it is reported that Major Fitzmaurice wishes to touch no place of importance in the United States of Canada without his companions. It is felt here that he Mill confer noth the Junker i epresentatives at Murray Bay and then return to Greenly Ireland until the Bremen is repaired. A Montreal message lScates that Fred Melchoir, the United States director of Junker's operations, said: “It i#i of supreme importance that the crew should adopt other means to reach NonYork with all possible speed.’’ He stated that he believes Baron Huenfeld does not realise, that all his requests for aid cannot be met and that lie is anxious to render all service possible to the Bremen, but advises the crew to come to Montreal and take the other Junkers ’plane for New York at once, for “they have accomplished the main purpose— crossing the Atlantic —and although sentiment may induce them to remain u-ith their ship they should endeavour to reap some of the benefits of the marvellous exploit.”

SUPERSTITIOUS IRISHMAN. NARRATIVE OF FLIGHT. ILL-OMEN AT START. (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH —COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Beceived II a.m. to-clnv. OTTAWA, April 18. A United, Press message from Clarke City states: Tbo superstition which plays so large a part in the life of an Irishman caused Major Fitzrnanrice many uncomfortable moments as the Bremen winged its way across the Atlantic, but the courageous fliers revealed the belief that the charms ’she carried were potent enough to overcome the ill-omen that literally and actually crossed the path of the airmen as they loft terra firm a at Baldonnel. This was disclosed hv the first extended interview" Major Fitzmaurice has given since reaching the continent. He related the story upon his arrival here with Schiller, after a hazardous trip from Natashqunn in the effort fo reach Murray Bay. “When we started off from Baldonnel there was an ill-omen, for just as the engine picked up speed we saw" ahead a sheen wander on to the jamway. We did not have enough speed to raise the monoplane' into the air to clear, hut it bounced and the tail of the machine hit- the sheen. I nresume this left a bloody trail along the runwav to mark our passage, and it nrobnbly did some damage' to our machine. All the wav across the Atlantic we could not help thinking of the narrow

escape ue had had from disaster, and wondered whether the Providence' that had preserved us at the very start of our journey u'ould carry us safely across the ocean. Then we had suen trouble in fog and storms that we nearly gave up hope. Sixty seconds before we saw the little island u-ith its lighthouse we were cruising with practically all hope gone that we would land within reach of civilisation, but. wo determined- to keep on until we had exhausted the last drop of petrol, and fortunately for its we saw the little island and came down safely.” In the light of his experience. Major Fitzmaurice ventured the opinion that other aviators who had attempted tne ■ westward flight and had never been heard of again had suffered the same terrors as the Bremen’s crew. “I believe that Captain Hincheliffe and the Hon. Elsie Mackny may very possibly have crossed the ocean as we did. and encountered the same difficulties as we did on approaching the Canadian coast. ancF may have landed somewhere in the thick forest of Imbra do r. ” he sai d. The citizens of Clarke City did everything possible to entertain Major Fitzmaurice and Schiller, who expert shortly to proceed to Murray -Bay to meet Fraulein Junkers and lay definite plans for future operations.