South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-15
R-34 IN ENGLAND
AFTER SEA FLIGHT
Great Britain'S Trans Atlantic
Pioneer DirigibIe Arrives
at Pullman Station.

PULHANf. Norfolk. England. July
14.-Great Britains mammoth
transatlantic air pioneer. the dirig-
ible R-34. arrived at the air station
here at 6.56 O'Clock. q -eenwich
time. Sunday. completing her round
trip from the British Isles 20 the
United States and return.
The R34 poked her nose out OF
the clouds northeast OF the village
and after circling the flying field
three times. glided gently 20 the
ground and ten minutes later was
housed in the dirigible shed. The
voyage from Long Island was with
out particular incident and was
completed in approximately 10
hours.
Prepare for Landing.
Soon after daybreak four hundred
men stationed at the airdrome were
aroused from their sleep 10 prepare
for the landing. Lookouts took pos
ftions in towers and wireless opera
tors prepared 70 pick up messages
from the airship. The sun rose
brigf Z. but soon afterward was Ob
scured by clouds There was no
wind and those on watch were con-
fident that the dirigible would ar
rive on time.
Shouts from below on the field
greeted the first sight Of the long
gray body low on the horizon. As
the RAJ approached the field. she
dropped from a height Of 5000 feet
TO 1000 feet The meH who were
10 aid the airship in landing were
ordered To their positions and waited
silently as the ship circled the field,
dropping lower and lower.
Release Water Ballast.
When Mai G. II. Scott. her COM
mander, had Unanswered the air
ship into position for the landing
the water ballast was released to
steady her and rope was thrown
from the bow. The rope was grasped
by eager hands and the giant ship
moved across the field TO the shed
where the delicate operation Of
berthing her was completed quickly
withoGt accident.
4 military band station on the
field played The Call Of Duty" as
the airship began to settle and then
changed to the strains Of See, the
Conquering Hero Comes" As the
ship was warped into the shed the
band played Keep the Home Fires
Burning The crowd was too in
tent in watching the ship 20 notice
the music, while the whirr of the
propeIlers made it inaudibIe 10 the
men in the R-34.
Greet Tired Crew.
The tired. unshaven. but smiling
men who composed the crew, quick
" climbed from the gOndOla and
were greeted warmly and with many
slaps on the back by the officers and
crew gathered on the field
The voyage home has been with
out incident" said Mai Scott. I'VE
want breakfast"
First Round Trip.
The arrival Of the R-34 at Pullman
about So miles northeast of London,
marks the completion of the first
round trip voyage of a lighter than
air craft across the Atlantic ocean
from the old world 10 the new The
return trip was made in "a hours
and SO minutes.
The R-34 took the air on her re-
turn voyage SO hours after her ar
rival at Roosevelt field, Nineola. y.
y. starting Officially at midnight
Wedresday She headed for New
York and after circling over the
city enveloped in the glare of
searchlights, passed over the avi-
alton field at Mineola at 1:30 "a. m.
on her way out 10 sea.
Sets New Record.
Starting the transatlantic Journey
at East Fortune at las Greenwich
time the morning of July (s:4S
d. m July L. New York time) the
airship completed at Roosevelt field
at 10 a, m. Sunday July ia dis
lance of approximately 5000 miles
in los hours L minutes.
The R-S4 was delayed on her