The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-28

altitude only. with seven men, 1900
pounds of bombs, 3s0 gallons Of gaso-
lene, fve machine guns and 1875 pounds
Of wireless equip1ent II rose 1000 feet
and travelled at the rate of ninety
seven miles an hour. II had previously
travelled from Little Silver. N. j.. to
Haziehurst Field. a distance OF about
sixty miles, with seven men aboard, In
twenty-five minutes. 1t was piloted by
Capt Edward Wallor of the British Fly
ing Corps and carried four American
army officers and two mechanics.
Then the Scouting Trip.
The Caproni expedition was not off,
cial. but II was a scouting trip to plot
the route of journeys over New York
city which II will make to-day and to-
morrow scattering Liberty Loan adver-
tisements. This aerial omnibus bore
twelve men. They were the two Italian
Officers. nine newspaper reporters. two
of whom left regretful wives on the
ground at Hazlehurst Field; q motion
picture man and q newspaper photog-
rapher.t
There was also 10 pound chunk Of
lead in the fuselage, the equivalent-in
weight at least-of a thirteenth man.
One learned that the wing spread OF
this yellow biplane Is seventy-six feet,
that 1t can carry 1900 pounds Of bombs.
that the pfopellers can make 1900 revo-
lutions q minute, which beats even Rus
sia, but are kept down to paltry 1900
or &C at present. that accoutred and
laden as yesterday the whole contrap-
ton weighs about FIVE tons, being dis
tinctly heavier even than Long Island
air.
JOY Riding Reporters.
Seven of the reporters, who were
merely Joy riders. snuggled in what
may or may not properly be called the
cockpit Just abaft the wings. The still
photographer and THE SUN reporter
shared the distinction of standing be-
tween the two gasolene tanks, with a
quarter inch piece OF board underfoot,
which bent under the said feet and added
to the general feeling Of security.
The movie man, an imperturbable
soul, was away out at the prov in
hole intended for a machine gun. No
body was strapped In. None or tho
goggled and hooded crew needed a strap.
The experience of the journey corrobo-
rated the assertion Of a grounding that
the old bus rides as easy as an elephant.
Lieut. fdTNls IOu8Ht III uic Shy AVt
a year and a half on the Italian front
whore he wishes ne were now. He
carries a cigarette case truthfully en-
graved with the fact that he shot down
six German and two Austrian aviators
who got in his way. He's handsome
and brave looking beyond belief. Why
should he worry over tribe like
few capers over New York and on the
way thither and back? He didn't.
On the ground everybody has
wondered. as airplanes sing overhead,
what the aviator is doing? Does he
enjoy the panorama, or does he sit
with teeth clenched. oblivious of every
thing except his control stick and the
fingers of the dials in front of him.
Well, the pilot of the grandaddy Of all
airplanes had good time yesterday.
and SO did Capt. d'Annunzio. who is the
Caproni company's chief engineer. They
sat at twin wheels and either could run
the plane. though Lieut.. Parvis did most
Of It,
Chuckles Are Frequent.
Most of the time the Lieutenant had
only one hand on the wheel. He looked
often from his instruments over the
side of the fuselage. He nudged the
Captain and both chuckled frequently.
1t Is to be feared. although not veri-
fed, that both those charming young
men. when they dropped into spirals that
made the Caproni tilt until its wings
were straight up and down and roll
licked through the nose dive and other
wise turned the landscape topsy turvy
were doing what is known in aviation
circles "as giving the boys the works"
which merely means a harmless thrill
or two not really a part Of the life OF
hA oad a "A md vi M nnfhar1v (Nanr0ni
No circllng for altitude at the start
these days. The Caproni. from Halle
hurst Field. simply Jumped UP at the
western sun in a straight drive. 1t
ducked through cloud. through hole
into the clouds, through a bank of them
that looked black from the ground but
white mist to the yoyagers, roared up
through the bank and in jiffy was
level at S.s5S feet.
This is not very high as flying goes.
but It was higher than twelve men in an
airplane have ever assembled in this
country before. The only impressions
OF THE SUN reporter worth noting at
this stage were that Long Island looks
Just like its pictures, except that 1t Ia
utterly fiat instead OF having the reputed
humps and hollows. and that when
clouds swan down below and in front.
with the sun fussing among them, the
scene Is exactly like that to be observed
any day from the top OF Pixies Peak.
This latter fact was stated later with
degree of positiveness by a travelled
member OF the party.
The Caproni and its unlucky number
OF navigators, counting the chunk OF
lead. approached Manhattan by way of
Brooklyn. which seemed unresponsive,
and crossing the East River and the
Gas House district shot over to the West
Side. down past the Woolworth Build
ing and out over the upper bay.
Even With Towers TIP.
Capt dAnnunzio wrote note in
Italian. asking his comrade not to make
the trip too long and waved his hand
in the direction of Hazlehurst Field
The Lieutenant. however. glancing back
at as much of the. faces OF the passen-
gers as helmets and goggles left UNI
covered. turned back up the East River
swung westward in the direction OF
New Jersey. whose geography one
grasped for the first time In his life,
dived until the Caproni was even with
the tip of the Metropolitan Tower and
not SO terribly far from that tin, and
coursed northward above Fifth avenue
The altimeter read COO feet. That
Is the lowest any airplane has ever
descended over New York This asser-
ton was entirely credible. The thing
fairly skated over the tops of build
ings. The travellers could observe mo-
lions made by traffic cops down in
the avenue. but before that nearness
had time to impress the mind here we
were over Central Park, gyrating over