The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-29
STORM WRECKS
IVEAIRPLANES
Huge Bomber for Pacific Coast
Flight Destroyed in
Mineola Field.
HANGAR MASS OF RUINS
Soldiers Save Several Craft
After Hard Battle With
Terrific Wind.

Five airplanes. including three of
the largest In the United States, one
Of which was the Martin bomber which
was to make a one stop flight from
New York to San Francisco, were
wrecked yesterday afternoon at Ha-
zlchurst Field, Mineola. by a cyclone
and thunderstorm of a. fury seldom
surpassed on those windy plains.
Major ]. Y. Chisum, adjutant of the
field. saw the storm coming. He didn't
like its looks. He issued brisk orders
that sent every man on duty at the
field, Captains and corporals. Lieuten-
ants and privates. scurrying to the
''llne," the edge of fthe field in front of
the hangers, where a dozen planes in
row were waiting to be tuned up, re-
fueled and inspected.
Mechanics had been working on the
big Martin bomber. grooming her for
the transcontinental flight she was to
have begun on Friday morning. They
were hardly out Of the huge hangar in
response to Major Ch!sum's call when
lightning struck the corner Of the
roof. Iron girders crashed down upon
the plane. The other machine in the
hangar. huge Caproni triplane. like
wise was crushed. The hangar was
wrecked.
Plane Crashes to Ground.
The cyclone followed crash of thun-
der and went twisting down on the field.
About thirty men had ropes on a great
Handley Page biplane of 100 foot wing
spread. which doomed on the line among
the scout planes like an eagle among
sparrows. When the wind, which
seemed as solid IN force as a torrent OF
water. struck the machine 1t whirled
twenty or thirty fee. into the air, spun
about like a dry leaf. and then crashed
to the ground. The great wsight, eleven
tons, landed squarely on the sturdy run
ming gear, which crumpled as IL made
of matches. The right wing also
buckled up.
The men on the ropes were snapped
about as II at tue ends of giant whips,
but they still hung on desperately. The
machine smashed Into smaller machines
and more and more men jumped TO the
ropes until nearly 100 were hanging on
to the craft. Despite their efforts she
fioundered 200 feet before being halted.
Tho smaller machines were at the
same time wildly fighting for freedom.
and the soldiers and pilots who held
them had a wild time. Two OF the
smaller planes were wrecked, but the
nerve and muscle of the men saved
the others from utter ruin. To add to
the confusion and danger the lightning
and the wind which accompanied It
hurled some Of the steel girders and
smaller steel parts of the hangar into
the air. II was raining steel on the
field. but fortunately none of the men
was hit. Heavy steel framework was
found later 800 feet away from. the
ruins.
Several Machines Saved.
At least a dozen machines almost un-
damaged were locked into their han
gars by the soldiers. Even there they
were not wholly safe, for the wind
whisked of several roofs.
Fifteen minutes after the black cloud
had darkened everything overh cad the
sun popped out and the blue sky ap-
peared as tranquil as ever. Then the
soldiers were set to work clearing up
the field. In that quarter of an hour
many thousands of dollars worth OF
damage had been done. Inspection
showed that the Martin bomber was
wrecked, although its two Liberty en-
gines seem to have escs ped much dam
age. Officers OF the air service ad-
mitted that the Caproni was quite
badly mussed up"
Dispatches received from Washington
stated that the traAscontinental night
would be made. although another ma
chine would be substituted for the
wrecked bomber