New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1922-06-05
LONDON TO CAIRO ELLER, BY GREAT
SKILL, SAVES SELF AND MECHANIC

buildings of the city directly beneath
1t was desperate situation.
The plane was Just a mere specl
in the sky when the crowd at Brain
ard field began to realize something
was wrong. AS the flying machine
drew closer to the city, it was seer
that the power had stopped and Dix
on was making desperate attempt tt
come in on a glide. But the mer
were two miles from the field, it was &
long glide without power. No one
thought they could do it. The crowc
gasped, and many alternately turned
away in horror only to have theil
gaze drawn back by the terrible fasci-
nation of the sight Of two men actual
ly falling to what seemed almost Ger,
tain death, on the streets below.
Dropping Rapidly.
The plane appeared to be slowing
up. There seemed to be far less thar
sufficient momentum to carry thu
men to a place where they could land
safely. To the crowd at the flying
field, strainng its eyes and watching
breathlessly but with nervous thrills
it appeared as though nothing short
of a miracle would save the men and
machine, which by this time was al
most grazing the tops of buildings in
Hartford.
Half Mile to Go.
Trees and smaller houses at the
outskirt OF the city were cleared by
the falling machine as it sailed over
their tops swiftly nearing the ground
and still a half mile to safe landing
place. The earth below was studded
with bitches. trees, rocks etc, and to
stop there meant certain wrecking OF
the machine and possible death to the
aviators.
Still Lower 1t Comes.
One more clump of trees appeared
before reaching the flying field. So
close to the top did the plane come
that the branches were barely 10 feet
from the machinery. A sunken road
just beyond only added to the dan
ger, of the trip as the plane, now
within three feetof the ground, still
glded through the air.
Saved BY Inches.
AS the three feet diminished to al
most two, Lieutenant Dixon gave a
final twist to the stick" and cleared
the dangerous spots. arriving safely
within 100 feet of field, clearing the
death trap in the shape of sunken
road by few inches. "One less kick
and we would have been out of luck
was the only comment by Lieutenant
Dixon as he alighted. Thompson did
not realize the danger he was in until
later.
Remarkable Record.
Lieutenant Dixon, whose presence
Of mind saved his life and that Of
Thompson's, although but 20 years of
age at the present time, and barely
is when he enlisted. possesses re
markable military record.
He is a son of Mr.. and Mrs. John
Dixon, of 446 Chestnut street, New
Britain. He graduated from the New
Britain High school in 1915 and ap-
proImately year later, when he
had just turned IS years of age, en-
listed in the Canadian Brigade of the
Royal Flying corps and trained In
Canada and at Fort Worth, Texas,
where Canadian men underwent con-
siderable training. While at Fort
Worth he was commissioned a sec
ond lieutenant and LETT for oversee,
shortly after receiving his commits
sion.
All Over the World.
He served with the British Expe-
dictionary forces and from the spring
of 1919 until he resigned his commits
sion in the service was engaged In
opening imperial air routes In
Europe, Asia and Africa.
He spent nine months with the In
dian army under the Indian govern
mental control and was gazetted from
the service as a flying officer with the
rank OF first lieutenant. One OF his
most famous fights was from London
to Cairo. Egypt
Gives Own Story OF Flight.
When interviewed this morning
Lieutenant Dixon told the story of the
fight He said
Il arrived at the flying field with
confidence in the airworthi-
ness of Thompson's airplane. After
the elevators had been adjusted to
ny satisfaction l tested the stick con-
troll and found the action too tight.
When this fault was corrected and the
engines tuned up I TAXED to the far