New-York tribune., 1911-09-11
Makes Dive Into tho Ocean.


drowned aeroplane and the dripping
flyers.
Makes Dive Into the Ocean.
Grahame- White was already circling
the aerodrome preparatory TO fading
into the atmosphere in the direction Of
the Narrows when Sopwith cranked up
his machine on the racetrack in front "
the clubhouse and invited Lee Ham
mond, another aviator, TO take spin
with him. They rose from the ground
right under the Nieuport and followed
her around the course once or twice.
flying close to the sod. Then, as the
racer grew tiner in the West. they rose
over the crowds head and made for the
ocean. Thousands Of bathers and per-
sons on the boardwalk greeted them with
a roar as they flew out to sea.
But one hundred yards out from tho
beach the biplane made Il wide turn and
darted downward from a height Of per-
haps two hundred feet Bathcrs scat
tered, stumbling and plunging from its
path Those on the boardwalk jeered,
for they thought it a fancy dip To Gre
ate excitement. \ wave caught one OF
the lower wings and jeers turned into
.Ohs" and groans as the machine turned
turtle and both aviators dropped from
view.
II seemed a minute, but was probably
less. before Sopwith and Hammond ! D
TO the surface and grabbed each side OK
the under plane, which had not yet gone
under. But the thing sank with their
weight. so they struck out for shore IN
their heavy clothes. snorting and cough
ing. Dozens Of motor boats, small
Yachts and lifesaving craft were focu
ing their efforts on a rescue, led by the
EVELYN, a 20-foot motor boat which in
tercepted the exhausted swimmers be-
fore they had made much progress.
First Sopwth was pulled aboard ana
then Hammond.
Bathers Help Rescue Machine.
hammond was 50 done up that he Was
transferred to a lifesaving boat and
rowed ashore, where a physician in the
crowd soon revived him. Sopwith re-
mainedsaboard the motor boat TO look
after the aeroplane. being joined later by
Hammond in a bathing suit. They had
the machine towed to the diving plat
form i'm front OF the Parkway Baths.
where, with the help of scores Of bath
ers. they lifted ii on TO raft and toated
il ashore The planes were hopeiessly
wrecked but the engine looked as II II
might again be put in order.
Il vas just making the turn to come
tack to the track" Sopwith explained.
when | noticed that my engine was
missing fire. / tried 10 Keep IL going.
but couldn't. Then | tried to make
Brighton Beach. but somehow | came n
bit too low The water caught my plane
and turned us over.
AT one time thought We were gone.
We were under the water, with the ma
chine on top OF us, and the planes hell
us there. | managed TO fight free ~
them and rise to the surface. Then
looked around for Hammond. and saw
him on the other side Of the aeroplane.
When saw that Hammond was all
light / looked 10 the machine. IL was
sinking fast, and there was nothing 10
do but save ourselves. Telling Ham
mond to follow. | started TO swim 10 tho
shore. The motor boat reached us just
in time. for Hammond had told me that
he was all in. OF course. regret wreck
ing the machine. but We were lucky 10
save ourselves"
Pay Money, but Cannot See.
From the top bench az the rear Of the
racetrack grandstand the spectators who
were supporting the exhibition gazei
wistfully out TO sea, knowing that the
most spectacular performance of the day
was going on somewhere out there. but
,,ara unahla to get peep at II through