BREMEN’S FLIGHT

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 9 June 1928, Page 11

BREMEN’S FLIGHT

TN n. dispatch to the “New York American,” Baron Gunther von Heunofcld thus describes the flight across the Atlantic in the Bremen: —

“It is a matter of profound satisfaction to us that, as a result of ouc determination,'' we have vindicated those heroes of science and aviation who took the risk ami paid with their lives—Nungesscr and (Job, the Princess Lowenstein, Minch in and Hamilton, Miss Maekay and HineMiffe. r%

“Between us and these seven courageous pioneers, who counted their Jives cheaply beside the advancement of tills aviation they loved so dearly, there is a band of comradeship that stretched across the shades. We honour their memories. ‘‘Somewhere in these .barren wastes of the North, and beneath the billows c»f the Atlantic, the story of these valiant attempt lies locked 1 in silence. It is with deepest reverence and with nli humanity that we bow in tribute, ami with no boastfulness that we And ourselves able to penetrate the veil of Providence and to tell their story to the- world. For their story is our " story. We too, Fitzmaurice, Kochi, and 1, have skimmed the angry waves of the Atlantic with our wheels, when fog had driven our staunch little craft down from the heights. We, too, have lost, our way when the compass, its uncanny powers rendered insane by the magnetic variations of the Far North, seemed to sneer at our futile little human efforts to chart our course and steer to a haven of safety. Ours is a story of 'success, perhaps, but their’ff the story of glorious failure that outshines such trifling things a» success. FATE OF PREDECESSORS. In our .minds we can picture the adventures and the hardships of our lost comrades. We can sense how, perhaps, Princess Lowenstein and her •gallant companions dived to a grave beneath the waves in mid-ocean, because, in those awful hours when the Bremen had to be navigated through the impenetrable fogs of the Grand Banks, we three lived in a knowledge that, at any moment we might, our selves become a contribution to science. Had it not been for the masterly navigation of Kochi and the airmanship of Fitzmaurice, our story might, have become their story, and the telling left to others who will follow. “It, is easy for us to imagine how Nungesser may have roamed hopelessly above the stretches of snow, the ice-bound rivers, and the endless forests of the .hinterland of Labrador in .search of human habitation as the precious drops of fuel were being exhausted, because we have sa.t tensely in our seats, peering at those same waters until all hope of success seemed gone, though an hour before the sight of land had lifted our spirits high. “What happened to Hinchcliffe? T thought o.f him and his passenger, Miss Maekay, when the ’plane became useless owing to the short distance between the area and the Magnetic Pole. It was not difficult to see how probably they were carried out of their course to a wretched death in the cruel Arctic, because for hours we were forced to fly .without the assistance of this instrument so essential to aerial navigation-. AUSPICIOUS COMMENCEMENT. “The great crossing began'under the friendliest of auspices. This peace Last-

A GRAPHIC STORY

ONWARD, EVER ONWARD

ed through long, wonderful hours. Now and -then we threw over smoke bombs to ascertain the speed and direction of the wind. Small disturbances, which every motor suffers, overcame themselves. The wind was favourable in part, and never particularly unfavourable during this portion of the flight, ■and we covered mile after mile in good time. That was during the day on Thursday. ‘‘ A ftier a flight of flfteen hours, as we flew into the west, enormous clouds and fog banks suddenly appeared before us. The thermometer went down as the ice zone of Newfoundland was reached. Now Koeh'l brought the machine- above the clouds l , which ■were of an ominous formation. They were grotesque and threatening. An icy wind, howling out of the west, received us, but, we were prepared for such apparitions and threats of disaster. We had to get through, whatever the cost -.might be. “But, while we flew through the mountainous- clouds and fought against the wind, 1 npticed Fitzmaurice trying -to shout, io Koeh'l. The noise of the -motor and storm drowned his voice. Ho 'took out a. pencil. I took note that Kochl was' his usual calm self. He had become serious and anxious, hut there was no alarm, no fear in Ids ntti tude. L leaned /over to look at the note. Finally I succeeded. It contained this message: ‘Approach land while still it is post side. Our oil tank seems to leak.’

“A charming message. JCoehl told me later that, in order to collect him self, he said three Patcr-nostcrs. The gallant captain smiled at Fitzmaurice and nodded his assent. We all three knew that if what we all three -feared, a leak in the oil tank, had occurred, we were lost. Fitzmaurice climbed from his scat and groped about, the cabin floor of Ihe ’-plane. Providence was good to us. Out Irish companion discovered the fault and repaired it. The leak was stopped. The flight proceeded.

IN THE TEETH OF THE STORM. “In ike meantime the storm had become so terrific, that, the machine nearly stood upright in the air. It was •dashed about like a frail little bird we had observed in a high wind. Wo pushed through, the clouds and fog-banks and saw a tumultuous ocean below. The ’plane ceased, t o fly any longer. She danced. But she withstood. She advanced. Hell seemed upon us. We steeled ourselves-. Forward. That was the word. That was the deed.

“Dawn always followed the dark, Ho who does not believe in the morrow had best stay at home. I cast a glance, at the little golden, cross which hung in my cabin. It shone in the night like a. beacon of hope. My thoughts flew 'home. What did they think of us? My mother, who had lost my father three days before our last flight, had put a lit tile heart in. my pocket before I left home. I repeated to myself. • Don’t get weak: don’t, get soft.’ ‘ ‘ We three -had been at the front. We flew now as then, for an ideal. Onward, onward. “Night, fog, storm. The machine •gasped and tremlbed. From 2000 feet we go-down to 300 feet to rise again. Koehl, founder - of fog flying, now hail a chance to demonstrate his- skill. He can even master the fog at night. “Tthe minutes seemed to be years. That went -on for many, many hours.

Was there to be do end to this darkness? Now and then we could sec the stars. . Then came a terrible period. Lights appeared. Then visions. The coast —a lighthouse. Deception after deception, in the mirage. Will-o'-the-wisps, to deceive u's, who hoped. ‘ * Now we were in the zone of the Northern Lights. We must- continue. ■Storm, fog, night. Was there to be no end to it?

POLE STAR THEIR GUIDE. “The Pole Star shone out in a terrible night. It became our guide. "The device for lights over the instrument board had Dccn broken. Instead of light the pilots get iey fog water in their eyes. "Kochi slept a few minutes, then Fitzmsmriee. But ever one. And ever no daylight. But. it would conic. Whether for us or not, wo hoped.

"Blood-red, the sun woke. "Land beneath us? Wc were still flying. We had regehed the other con tinent! Forest®, while with snow, endless, desolate! Labrador? ProbablyThe compass laughed at our efforts to read it!

"A new storm broke. Under us a dead land —no house, no village. High mountains, white with suqw, suddenly appeared, and wc rose and flew over them in a howling storm. Then enormous rivers, covered with. ice. But no trace of human work. "We knew we were lost. And the flight ngaim.st the angry elements cost us more benzol than we could spare. Our supply sank lower and lower in the tank.

"But why worry? Another Pater rooster. If we lost we would be forced to land, lost in the desert. "JvoeM said later that, if we had been forced to land- there, he would have felt, the possessor of great wealth in forests. Never let. us lose, our humour. For then we are lost indeed. "He who has to die' must die like a man; but. before, 'he must fight.Hiard for his life.

THE LANDING IN LABRADOR

"'The brave. Bremen did her best. She know what she owed to .her designer, Professor Junkers. Brave pilots, North,l and Fitznvauriec, did their best.

"I was petrified with cold, and lay between the tanks-; If we could only pass the message on, it would bo: ‘ln Thy hands we put out life.’ "Onward, onward, we saw much. Learned much that would be a. help to aviation. We searched and searched. The mountains disappeared. Then, in front of us, frozen water 'glistened. "Were we going to the North Pole? No answer from the compass. Benzol would be gone in a. short time. Then —the end. "A shout from Fitzmauriec.' ‘A •boat,’ lie cried. We. looked. It. was not a boat, but a house. Nearer it came. Then a lighthouse. Then men ancl dogs. "Kochi set the machine down with masterly skill. in the shortest landing 1 have ever known. Her nose buckled in through the ice, but brave Bremen was safe. We, too. "We learned wc had been wander ing about Labrador. "The first east to west flight is over. Hospitality and kindness surround us. Children. The battle for life is won! * *