The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-05-19
CROSSES ATLANTIC
Continued from Page one)

ND@se@A0Sa AAOAiA 0cN INV
Martinsyde airdrome. They knew it
meant Hawker had determined to
tarry no longer for 1t left him without
landing equipment but lightened his
craft for its hazardous voyage.
II the daring Australian wins his
gamble with death it win bring him
first honors in the nonstop transat-
lantic race, undying fame and rich
prize. He decided to risk everything
when he heard of the arrival of the
United States navys seaplane NC-4 at
Torta and reiterated his statement
that he would beat the Yankees
across" although the venture of the
navy aircraft has no bearing on the
Daily Mail contest. nor did they at.
tempt at nonstop fight.
The 20-hour journey planned by
Hawker would land him on the Irish
coast at about 1855 p. IN. Greenwich
time, tomorrow 1856 a. m. New York
time). He is flying straight for Ire
land, winging his way regardless of
shipping lanes.
Hawker got away in q lurching 300
yard run, humping haxardously over
the uneyene field. The little plane
careened and rocked recklessly until
a hummock lifted 1t and its wings
took the air. fer a low. swinging
start. 'Hawker was at the control
The Sopwith began to speed up as
soon as 1t hoated into the air and
Hawker headed straight into the
north east. When he dropped his
undercarriage he and Grieve waved a
quick farewell.
| Flying straight, without swerving a
hair from the chosen course, the III
tie plane fadded rapidly from view
In five minutes il had dwindled to O
speak in the sky and in six minutes
II was out OF sight beyond the hills.
i Hawker's start was made in face
/ of weathet conditions which he char
4 acterized, as mot yet favorable
a ppssible.p He and ,slhis navigator
4 gravely considered the hazards -of. tn,
A attempt and DECIDED TO, stake, every
thing ppia'i eFqFf % beat the ARsi
Raynham ana SI6tsafi had s pfrtkvlous
Il y ldseidsd ngtgoSaUbhpt 10 dy ,nnti
between and & O'CLOCK, but no doub
me the, s,IpeScEacls. q the riyal, maehlippi
q passing frihmphantIy over their head
empeiled therr- TO cartier action. A
a AS they entered the machine AMI
4 started the engine. m -
II She stared and raced gainely alon,
\ the ground for about 300 yards when
i striking a ridge atiiwart the course
1 the under-carriase collapsed with tn
\ strain and the machine, being int,
4 over, buried its nose In the groun,
and completely wrecked itself Fo
4 the first moment the crowd u1wa
aghast. fearing one OF the tragedie
so frequent In airfiight experiments
But It soon seen that. though Gu
and bleeding the airmen were able {
scramble from the wreck of the ma
chine.
The under carriage OF the machln
I was wrecked; both wheels and tn
! axle were in pieces; the propeller wa
/ shattered to bits; the radiator wa
: completely separated from the rest Q
the engine. and the latter was jarre
,, into a hopeless condition; the fusl
|, lage was sprung and the left plan
much broken.
Experienced airmen said the
knew the machine was carrying
: heavy load, but not greater than the
J believed she could ascend with unde
' ordinary conditions. and they ascril
. ed the .mishap to the unfavorabl
> wind. coupled with the shock of strIl
ing the ridge. They thought, eve
Q when the under carriage went. tha
, she could still get off the ground,
The opinion IN 81. Johns tonigh
about today's air fight is that tn
! chances OF Hawkers success are
! mlnished greatly by the evidence {
|. the fimsy structure of all airplane
4 and the east with which they can b
s put out of action. The ordinary cit
zen is unaware OF the difficulties 9
4 such an adventure, but he hopes 70
: the best The view Of experienced ali
men is, as one Of them expressed
after seeing Hawkers start, that w
have been assisting today at elab,
rate preparations for a case OF doubl
suicide
The Martinsyde mishap cost $4,000
-S3O0OO for the engine and $500
for the rest OF the machine