The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-18
RAYNHAM FAILS;
PLANE WRECKED
Tiny Martinsyde Flies at 80
Feet for so Yards Before
Going to Smash.
STOPS FLIGHT TO IRELAND
Both AviatOrs Unhurt in the
Second Accident Which
Foils Hawker's Rival.
By thd Associated Press

ST. JOINS, n. F., July 17.-Capt,
Frederick P. Raynham made another
disastrous attempt to fly across the
Atlantic in a tiny Martinsyde plane
to-day. The machine, after reaching
a height Of thirty feet, crashed to the
ground under the heavy load Of gaso-
lene which 1t was carrying Capt.
Raynham and his navigator, Lieut..
Conrad H. Biddlecombe, escaped in
jury.
The accident is almost exactly like
that which befell Raynham on the
afternoon when Harry Hawker set of
to fly overseas. At that time Rayn-
ham essayed to follow him, but barely
got or the ground before the heavy
weight Of fuel pulled him to earth
and his machine nosed into the
ground. Both Raynham and his for
mer navigator, Capt. Charles Morgan,
were somewhat injured, Morgan so
seriously that his flying days are said
to be over.
Both accidents are part Of a series
of misfortunes which have dogged
Raynhams attempt to duplicate the
feat of Capt. John Alcock and Lieut.
Arthur w. Brown In the Vickers-
Vimy bomber.
Built From Wrecks Fragments.
The Chimera, as the machine Rayn-
ham built from the fragments of his
first was called, ran along the ground
to-day for about 400 yards and then
took off. For perhaps fifty yards the
skill Of the pilot held the heavily laden
machine in the air, but during this time
he could lift 1t only about thirty feet.
Then the two daring fliers felt the plane
drop under them. Both leaped as II
struck the ground. The axle OF the run
ming gear and both wheels were broken
the propeller splintered, the radiator
ripped off. the gas tanks split and the
lower wing and fuselage shattered. II
Is regarded here as unlikely that Rayn-
ham will make a third attempt not be-
cause he Is discouraged, but because oi
the heavy expense which attends the
enterprise.
Raynham's determination to get away
on the flight was only strengthened
when he was left with a wrecked plane
at st. Johns when Hawker sailed ovel
the eastern horizon on his way to what
seemed death or glory. The failure Of
Hawker did not discourage him despite
the fact that Hawker's machine wa,
larger than his own, which had a wins
| spread OF only forty feet and a fuselagt
| twenty-six feet long. Neither did tn,
winning of the $4,000 prize by tn,
Vickers-Vimy crew discourage him. fol
he declared he would fly home to Eng
| land whether he got the reward or not
Bad weather and various other trouble,
have kept him at st. Johns since early
last April.
Radiator Found to BE Defective.
After the withdrawal of Capt Morgan
because of his injuries Capt Raynhan
| had some trouble getting a capable nav,
gator. but finally Lieut.. Biddlecomb,
came on from England to fly back witt
him. After all his labor in rebuilding
the Chimera in this city. which is hardl.
adapted for the construction of airplancs
he had some trouble with 1t owing to
! defective radiator. but declared himsel
satisfied, after trial flights under loa dis
that the little machine would get over.
The plane carried 375 gallons of gaso
lene on the disastrous start, and tn
total weight of plane. passengers an,
fuel was. II Is estimated. more than 3 90
pounds. Raynham hoped to averag
more than a hundred miles an hour, thu
reaching Ireland little more than nine
teen hours after the start. He believe,
he had a chance, with favorable winds
Of beating the record of sixteen hour
and twelve minutes of the two engines
vickers-Vimy.