PILOT'S ORDEAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22539, 2 October 1936, Page 11

PILOT'S ORDEAL

ALTITUDE FLIGHT FAILURE OF OXYGEN DEATH NARROWLY ESCAPED LONDON LIKE TOY TOWN liy Telegraph—Tress Association—Copyright (Received Ocfober 1, 0.."i p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, Sept. 30 A dramatic story*,was told to day of his experience in the upper air by Squadron-Leader Swain, test pilot of the Experimental Section of the Royal Air Force establishment at Farnborough, who has been personally congratulated by the King and by Viscount Swinton, Secretary of State for Air, on his world's altitude record flight on Monday. It was the Royal Air Force's first attempt on the record. By reaching a height of 10.067 feet, Squadron-Loader Swain excelled the previous record, established last month bv the French pilot Georges Det.ro by 1296 feet. Specially Designed Machine This great achievement was accomplished by a specially-designed Bristol l:? 8 open aeroplane, fitted with a Pegasus engine. The fuselage is of Monococquo 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.

Tho pilot, who was encased in a hoi meted nnrl sealer! flying-suit to give him warmth and oxygen in the rarefied upper air, says that the most eritieal moment in the flight occurred during the descent when he began to feel suffocated.

"I had the impression," says the flier, "that I was getting short of oxygen. As I was gradually feeling weaker I pressed the release lever, which shoidd have opened the cockpit-cover, but that failed to function. I then tried the zip cord attached to my suit for such an emergency, but I could not find the fastener. Slash With a Knife "Over my suit I was wearing a fighting harness and a para'chute harness. I had to get my head clear of the helmet, as I was gradually getting weaker. The only thing to do was to cut open the window of the helmet with my clasp knife, which I had great difficulty in doing, but with a final effort I thrust the knife through and slit the window, tearing it off with one hand. As soon as the fresh air got in I felt better."

Describing the view as he looked down from 46,000 feet, Squadron-Leader Swain says: "I could see the whole of the south coast of England from Margate to Land's End and north almost as far as tho Wash. London looked like a toy town and tho Thames like a piece of narrow ribbon. Southwards I could see the coast of France and the Channel Islands 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."