Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-02-28
FOUND COLD 81 Below
ZERO FIVE MILES UP
Major Schroeder Tells Of Wonder
full Plunge Of 6,O2O Feet;
Set Altitude Record.
By Associated Press to Every Evening

Dayton, o., Feb. 2S.--Major r.. w.
Schroeder, chief test pilot at McCoolg
Field, who yesterday fell more than five
miles in two minutes after shatterinu the
worlds altitude record, miraculously
escaping death, lies today in the army
post hospital, near here, recoverings from
partial blindness, and determined 10
make another ascent at the first oppor-
tunity.
Major Schroeder climbed yesterday 10
a height Of 80 ,O2O feet, then plunged down
ward more than five miles when he lost
control Of his machi1e after bis oxygen
supply was exhausted While still 1000
feet above the ground the aviator, re-
gaining his presence Of mind, righted the
plane and sailed down 10 make o graceful
landing on McCook Field.
When attendants rushed to the flyer 8
machine after he he'd landed they found
him sitting in the plane, blinded end In-
conscious. His eyeballs had been frozen,
the temperature at the height to which
he had assembled being 67 degrees below
zero, Fahrenheit.
At the hospital last night Major Schroe-
der told of the climb To heights never
before attained, Of his battle against
cold. wind and lack OF air, and Of bis de-
termination 10 mount 10000 feet above
the ground, his objective when he took
the air yesterday.
Il was thinking only Of my desire 10
climb 10000 feet when suddenly my oxy-
gen stopped flowing" he said. "Then, all
at once, IL seemed that an explosion took
place inside my head My eyes hurt so
that | could not open them and ! knew
| was falling I guess | pulled hard on the
stick, for j knew | must straighten out
for a glide. The plane rode easy. ] open
ed nv eyes but could see nothing Of the
ground Then | closed my eyes again Tor
. moment and when ] opened them saw
Wilbur Wright Field. knew | eouldn' .
land there because Of the hangers, and
tilted my machine for a climb, intending
20 make sure Of good altitude and then
Jump with my parachute But at that
instant | saw McCook Field and came
down"
Major Schroeder took the fight yes
terday forenoon He climbed above the
clouds. but the exhaust gas from his
plane. freezing in the frigid temperature,
caused a cIoudlike formation resembling
the tail of comet to hang IN the sky.
As the plane was not visible from tho
earth thousands Of Dayton citizens who
stood gazing at the formation during the
noon hour believed it 70 be the tail Of
comet.
The Instruments Of Major Schroeder s
machine tell the story of his fight against
the Clements as he climbed upward foot
by foot His thermometer recorded .
temperature Of 81 degrees below zero. The
baropraph reading indicated an altitude
of 81. 900 feet, and when calibrated by
Captain Harrison W flickinger, showed
an official altitude Of 36.020 feet, a new
worlds record, and varIation OF less
than 900 feet
The mark set by MAJOR Schroeder
again gives him the record which Roland
Rohlfs won from him July 30, 1919, with
an official altitude of $4,000 feet, and
later increased in second flight Of 81 900
feet. II also breaks the record OF Adjutant
Gasale, French pilot, who WAS credited
with an unofficial record OF 50, l37 feet.
Modern inventions, largely resulting
from the war, made Major Schroeder s
feat possible. Through the moss super
charger he was able 10 get 400 horsepower
from his Liberty motor, despite the high
Captain Fhckinger, chief celebration
officer at McCook Field, was arranging
today to send the altitude figures To War
Department officials at Washington. Later
they will be sent TO officials ot the Aero
Club OF America. which viii be asked to
certify the record TO the world.