RECORD HEIGHT.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5150, 11 July 1927, Page 4

RECORD HEIGHT.

U.S.A. BALLOONIST’S EFFORT.

ASCENT OF NEARLY EIGHT MILES.

America apparently has captured, another laurel Tn the conquest of the air, through the ascent of Captain. Hawthorne Gray, army aeronaut, to a height of approximately 41,000 feet. The previous record was less than 36,000 feet made by two German balloonists. It is believed this is the highest altitude ever attained in a. free balloon. From his basket the captain surveyed £he earth from a. distance of eight miles. While the sealed altimeter in Captain Gray’s balloon remained to be calibrated by the Bureau of Standards. at Washington he said he, checked his instruments at 40,000 feet and found them to be accurate-

starting at 1.33 p.m. Captain Gray piloted his balloon to its maximum', height until forced to descend alter his instruments indicated that he had reached his goal. He landed at 4i p.m., at Golden Gate, 111., more than. 100 miles away.

Descending to 8000 feet and finding that his craft was 1 headed for a swamp at more than 1600 feet per minute, Captain Gray removed hisoxygen mask and observed that theballoon failed to .“parachute.” He then made a parchute jump to a, muddy field within 200 yards of the creek.

A voluminous aviation suit enabled him to withstand the temperature of 60 degrees below zero,, while a. specially designed oxygen carrierequipped with an electric heater provided him with ample oxygen in the rarefied atmosphere.

At 40,000 feet the balloonist discarded one of the two ox ygen tanks by means of a parachute, and the effect was to send the balloon 1000 f.cet higher. Upon landing he was tak:en back to Scott field by a military airplane which had accompanied hfim at lower altitudes. His return brought the congratulations of assemlbled army officers and spectators, an d the enthusiastic greeting, of his. wife. His forced leap from th,e balloon by means of a parachute qualified him also for membership in tl'ie Caterpillar Club, tp. which only those aeronauts who have made emergency parachute ’SjU/mps are