FAMOUS AIRMAN'S DEATH.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 7565, 8 May 1919, Page 5

FAMOUS AIRMAN'S DEATH.

The death of Jules Vedrines, one ol the most famous of French airmen, occurred on April 21st. He was killed by falling from a great height during * flight from Paris to Rome. Probably this wfts tho flight in which, as he mnounced, he was going to try to fly :o Rome and bnck in 24 hours. It was ;o have been followed by a flight round :he world in the course of which he A-ould have visited Australia, by way of India. Vedrines was a skilful and daring airman, who had taken part in se. reral of the great races that were organised in what, though so recent, tiay be regarded as the early day of iviatipn. He won the Paris-Madrid ■ace in 1911, covering the 7^7 miles in a trifle over 12 houra. and finished fourth in the so-called "Circuit* of Europe," tho route being from Paris, through Belgium, Holland and England, back to Paris again. An accident to his motor lost him the first place. He came second in the race rc-Mvnd Britain for the prize of £10,000 .offered by the "Daily Mail," missing his svny near Bristol in the darkness. In 1912 he flew from France to Jaffa, Mr way of Nurnburg, Prague, Vienna, Belgrade, Constantinople, and Beyrout. a distance of 3500 miles. Ose of the nfany daring feats for which he was noted was his landing in January last an tho roof of one of the great Paris . ffnporitnm, and thereby winning tho £1000 prire offered to die first airman to land on a roof. The srmce on which he landed was only 47ft. wide, and his machine had a- span of about 39ft. Some defect in his ninrliine probably efxißcd his fatal fall, for the fact that :»*> was 39. nn age at which an aviator it*- growing old, would not account for disaster in a straight-away flight.