AVIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23001, 2 October 1936, Page 7

AVIATION

THE CENTENARY RACE FORTY ENTRIES RECEIVED (United Press Association) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) ADELAIDE, Oct. 1. Forty entries have been received for the South Australian Centenary Air Race from Brisbane to Adelaide in December. Nominations closed last evening, but more telegraphic entries may be received. THE ALTITUDE RECORD PILOT’S DRAMATIC STORY (British Official Wireless) RUGBY, Sept. 30. (Received Oct. 1, at 5.5 p.m.) A dramatic story was told of his experience in the upper air by Squadron-leader Swain, the test pilot of the experimental section of the Royal Air Force establishment at Farnborough, who has been personally congratulated by the Air Minister, Lord Swinton, on the success of his 3hr 20min flight, in which the world’s altitude record was captured on Monday. It was the Royal Air Force’s first attempt on the record, and by reaching a height of 49,967 ft Squadron-leader Swain outdistanced the previous record, established last month by a French pilot, by 1296 ft. This great achievement was accomplished by a specially-designed Bristol 138 open aeroplane fitted with a Pegasus engine The fuselage is of monococque construction, rounded in front and rectangular in the rear With a wing span of 66ft, it is one of the largest single-engined aeroplanes ever built The pilot, wh. was encased and helmeted in a sealed flying suit to give him warmth and oxygen in the rarefied upper air. said *hat the most critical moment in the flight occurred during the descent, when he began to feel suffocated. He said: “ I had the impression that I was getting short of oxygen. I was gradually feeling weaker and I pressed the release lever which should have opened the cockpit cover, but that failed to function. I tried the zip cord attached to my suit for such m emergency, but could not find the fastener Over my suit I was wearing fighting harness and oarachute harness I had to get my head clear of the helmet as I was gradually getting weaker and the only thing to do was to cut open the window of my helmet with a clasp knife I had great difficulty in doing this because I was feeling so weak, out with a final effort I thrust the knife through and slit the window, tearing it off with my hand. As soon as the fresh air got in I felt better I found I was then 14.000 ft up over Yeovil.” Describing the viei as he looked down from 46,000 ft, Squadron-leader Swain says: “ I could see the whole of the English south coast from Margate to Lands End. and north almost as far as the Wash London looked like a toy town and the Thames like a piece of narrow ribbon South I could see the coast of France and the Channel Isknds, 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.” THE KING’S CONGRATULATIONS LONDON, Sept.- 30. The King, from Balmoral, sent a message of congrt ulation to Squad-ron-leader Swain “on his fine achievement in breaking the altitude record with all-British equipment.”