Evening star., 1924-07-20
BY LIEUT.. II. J. BROWN. Jr.
Chirman World Flight Committee

With the landing of the flyers at
the San Stefano Airdrome, 10 miles
west of the City of Constantinopie,
the route throughout the fourth di-
vision had been completed.
Constantinople, the City of Con-
| stantne, built on the site of ancient
Byzantium, called Istamboul by the
Turks, is the capital of the Ottoman
empire. 1t is a great city. with more
than a million inhabitants made up
of heterogeneous mass of races, and
it may be truly said in the case of
Constantinople. that distance lends
enchantment, for from the distance
the city is beautiful. No other city
in the world can claim the distinction
of being situated on two continents.
Europe and Asia, and certainly none
has more thrilling or romantic his
tory.
Upon closer inspection, however.
the grandeur of Constantinople fades.
The traveller steps ashore and pro-
ceedS to pick his way through the
narrow, dirty and ill-paved alleys
which do duty for streets.
Until 1910, the city was oVerrun by
The flyers, however, did not see this
kind of Constantinople, because
they were given great reception by
the officials of the Turkish govern
ment and the representatives of the
American Government when they ar
rived, and saw Constantinople in its
most rosy hueS
notwithstanding the fact that
they had been in the air practically
eight hours during the flight from
upon their planes, getting them in
readiness to leave ConStantinople as
soon as possible for Bucharest, the
first stop in Europe. They were pre-
vailed upon. however, to rest over
Friday as the guests of the Turkish
aviation officials, and the day was
spent making small adjustments on the
world cruisers and explaining their
airplanes, with their special equip
ment. to the Turkish airmen-
contemplated the flight stopping at
Konia en- route from Aleppo to Con-
stantinople, at the last minute it was
decided to fly the entire distance of
585 miles without stopping. They
made the flight in hours and 40
course of the railroad from Aleppo to
Constantinople via Konia.
Leave for Bucharest.
Early in the morning of the 18th
the flyers left Constantinople for Bu-
chareSt, flying over the route which
was originally established in 1921
by the Franco o-Ro umanian Air Lines,
as a part of the route from Paris to
Constantinople, which had to be
conditions in Turkey. The flyers
landed at the airdrome of the Franco
Roumanian Air Lines at Baneasa, a
few miles north of the city of Bu
charest They covered the 290 miles
in hours and 40 minutes. They were
welcomed by officials of the Rouman-
ian government an dmemberS of the
American legation.
At the commercial airdrome, every
assistance was given them and the
planes were quickly prepared for the
next days flight. 1t was while the
flyers were yet in Bucharest that the
plan to reach Paris on the l4th of
July, the French independence day.
was decided upon, covering the 1,40O
miles between Bucharest and Paris in
two days.
At $40 in the morning the Amer
leans were circling over the city of
Bucharest preparatory to their long
flight to Vienna, which they hoped
to make in one day. After a trip
against head winds for 7 hours and
80 minutes, they landed at MatyaSfold
Airdrome, Budapest. having covered
$40 miles All arrangements had been
made 70 land at Belgrade. The Off
cials of the Serbian army and mem
bers of the American colony were
awaiting them at the Panchevo Air
drome. but the flyers, wishing to take
advantage of the good weather which
prevailed in spite of the head winds.
decided not to land. but to proceed
through to Budapest. where they
landed shortly before noon, and after
a stay of about three hours, during
which the planes were refueled,
they proceeded the remaining 140
miles to Vienna, landing at the
Aspern Airdrome, northeast of the city.
city.
Although it was an exceedingly hot
day, a great crowd of Americans and
Austrians was upon the field to greet
them. They had completed the flight
of $50 miles, against head winds, in
II hours flying time, and immedi-
ately made ready, in spite of their
many invitations to remain over, to
proceed to Paris on the next day.
The morning of the 14th they left
Vienna at $40 and landed at Strass-
bourg, France. 6 hours and 80 min
utes later. At Strassburg e1abor-
ate arrangements had been made for
their entertainment, but after lunch
for themselves and gas for their