Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-02-28
ALTITUDE RECORD
(ContInued from Page Ono)

Centigrade or g. degrees below zero
Fahrenheit.
Altitude figures from the baro-
graph reading indicated a height Of
$1,000 feet and when calibrated by
Captain Harrison w. F1ickinger.
showed an official altitude Of 5000
feet, new worlds record and
variation of less than 1000 feet. The
mark set by Major Schroeder again
gives him the altitude record which
Roland Rohlfs won from him July
so, 1919. with an official altitude Of
10000 feet and later increased In a
second flifht to $1,000 feet. 1t also
breaks the record of Adjutant Casale.
French pilot. who was credited
with an unofficial record Of ~33,l57
feet.
Major Schroeder's first altitude
record was made at Dayton, Sep
TENDER is. 1918 when he few a
Bristol fighting machine to AN alti-
tude ofos.9oo feet.
Leaving the field at 1910 this morn
ing Major Schroeder battlcd for two
hours and tive minutes agains. chang
ing air currents and In bitter cold at
nosphere.
Hiding alone almost seven miles bove
the earth In a Polar climate and against
wind which Peary encountered that
blows always at 100 miles an hour or
more, Major Schroeder fought foot by
foot to drive his plane higher
Officers OF the field say his machine
must have fallen into tail spin as 9TH
crWisc his plane would have collapsed
when he regained consciousness and
righted il after the descent Of more
uIan five miles.
The sudden change in air pressure
from less than three pounds at 5000 10
III pounds Ut sea level crushed the
gasoline tanks on his plane and caused
them TO collapse the sides jolting Ma
]or Schroeder to his senses.
Modern inventions unthousht Of he
tore the war made not only Major
Schroeder 5 air light but enabled 70 re-
turn safely. Ills machine was equipped
with Moss supercharger and was the
same IS used August = l9l? when he
broke the worlds speed record for high
altitude by flying l37 miles an hour ut
q he at Of lSinl feet.
The Moss supercharscr Il de-
Vice composed Of u gas turbine AMI
centrifugal air compressor. The tur-
binc Cerives Its power from the red
hot exhaust gases from the Liberty
motor. lie power generated by the
gas turbine is used to operate the
centrifugal air compressor ut about
1000 revolutions per minute, and tho
air SO compressed is fed TO the car
bura tor ut the same pressure as tic
air II sea level,
Thus the Liberty motor delivered
full 800 horsepower, even though at
high altitude.
Major Schroeder Vas dressed heav-
;ert than any pole. explorer who ever
set forth. He literally was wrapped
in flexible electric heater. His fly.
ing suit WAS lined with the tur Of
chinese nuchwang dogs and betwee,
the fur and outer lining. fexibl,
electric heat units, connected by silk
covered wires with the dynamo Of the
engine heated the entire suit.
In like manner his head gea..
- iiIi HloctdSlnS were neateu.
Major Schroeder wore an oxygen
mask of his own design
t Capital lGarrison W. lrlickingcr. chief
elaboration officer Of McCook Field
said Major Schrocders record would be
first sent to war department officials at
/ Washington and later to officials of the
Aero Club Of America. The Aero Club
OF America. recognized by the Fedora
ton AeronautiGuc Intcrnationalc, will
he asked TO certify the record TO the
, worll