AMAZING ESCAPE FROM BLAZING PLANE

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3626, 16 June 1927, Page 9

AMAZING ESCAPE FROM BLAZING PLANE

D’Oisy Crashes When Hopping off for India ANXIOUS TO ANTICIPATE LIEUTENANT CARR [By Electric Cable-Copyright,] [Auot. and N.Z. Cable Association.] PARIS, Juno 14. Tho French aviators, D’Oisy and Govin, crashed at Le Bourget but escaped, leaving the wreckage of their ’plane blazing. D’Oisy’s hair was singed, and one hand slightly injured. Govin frantically gesticulated to an accompanying ’plane and the pilot seeing the airmen were safe immediately returned to Le Bourget with tidings for their wives who were terrified spectators of the blazing machine. Meanwhile, scores of aeroplanes, cars and ambulances rushed to the scene and were overjoyed to find the men alive. The airmen regretfully left the debris of the machine and motored to Le Bourget and then to Paris. Anxious To Be First. The meteorological bulletin was distinctly bad, but D’Oisy was very anxious to bo ahead of Lieutenants Carr and Mackworth who arc still waiting at Cranwell. Aviation circles are deeply disappointed because so much was expected of their flight. Later details state that D’Oisy’s and Govln’s take-off and escape from the blazing ’plane make up ono of the most dramatic episodes in aviation. After deciding to postpone their venture D'Oisy suddenly resolved to start in the presence of a few at Le Bourget. Ho took off perfectly after' a long run but had an obvious difficulty in rising owing to the stormy atmospheric conditions. D’Oisy resolved to land at tho first opportunity, but was compelled to fly for two miles as low a a 35 feet from tho ground before reaching a field sufficiently largo enough to land.

Seeing: a corn field ho descended and landed perfectly and the machine taxied at a terrific pace for 20 yards when,' without warning:, the landing 1 wheels collapsed. 1 D’Oisy shouted “Jump,” and he and Govin leaped out just as a thousand gallons of petrol exploded and the machine became a mass of flames. Both crawled clear and rolled in the wheat to extinguish the flames which had already caught their clothing. Carr’s Flight Postponed [British Official Wireless.] RUGBY, June 14. Lieutenants Carr and Mac Worth, who are to attempt a non-stop journey to India in an Air Force service machine, postponed their start to-day owing to the unfavourable weather reports along the route. Does Nungesser Live? OTTAWA, June 14. A message from Quebec states that forest workers have been organised to explore the St. Germain region and mountains as a result of a report from forest rangers that signal flares have been seen.' It is considered possible that Captain- Nungesser and his mechanic Coli landed and became stranded during their Atlantic flight. To View Sun’s Eclipse From Air (Received Wednesday, 7.15 p.m.) LONDON. June 14. ~ A fleet of Imperial aeroplanes leave Croydon on June 29 to view the eclipse of tho sun from the air from the northern totality zone. Astronomers in the machines equipped with telescopes and instruments will fly as high as possible with the object of avoiding atmospheric hindrances. Rook Again on Way (Received Wednesday, 8 p.m.) Cairo, Juno 14. Aviator Rook has arrived at Heliopolis (Egypt).