New Britain herald., 1927-08-30
SELECTS
english ACE TO
PILOT COLUMBIA
Hops OIL From Croydon to Gran
we'll in Preparation for Flight
Across Atlantic to America
WIFE PAYS FRENCH Filler,
DlSSOLVING HIS CONTRACT

After Dissolution OF Contract with
Maurice Drouhin-Has Been PHO,
For IA Ycars-Is World Wal
Veteran.
Croydon, England, Aug. 3o.-tPl-
Charles A. Levine announced here
this afternoon that Captain w. G
Hinchcliffe had been definitely Sc
lected to pilot the transatlantic
monoplane Columbia back to the
United States with Levine as his
companion. They would hop off, Lee
vine added, as soon as the weather
cleared
The start will be made from Gran
well, Lincolnshire, where Captain
Hinchcliffe took the Columbia to-
night after a trial flight.
Wants No Contract
1T is a great privilege to be as
ISOLATED in this undertaking. I want
no contracts with Mr.. Levine" de-
clared the captain, who is en-
thusiastic at the prospect Of flying
the Atlantic.
Hinchcliffe is one OF Great Brit
is a veteran of the World war, aged
"a, and has 5000 flying hours to his
credit.
Tall and slender. he presents q
picturesque figure, and he is known
as a most skilled pilot. He lost the
sight of one eye through an injury
received in aerial combat with a
German plane during the war.
Licensed in 1918
He received his first pilots Ii.
cense in 1913 and now is special
pilot for the Imperial Always, who
have granted him three weeks leave
or more if necessary, for the Allan.
tic attempt.
field from London this afternoon an
nounced that he had received q tele.
gram from Paris saying that tn,
trouble over his contract with the
French aviator. Maurice Drouhin
had been satisfactorily settled.
kinkade Given Leave
doc" knkade, the Wright motor
expert, is TO assist in the prepare
tons for the flight of Captain
Hinchcliffe and Levine. kinkade
had planned to sail on the Levia.
than, but eLvine telephoned to New
York last night and got permission
for him to stay over.
The start for Cranwell was made
after trial flight over Croydon
Captain Hinchcliffe expressed his
satisfaction with the plane and all
the arrangements for the trip, ant
added
II consider Mr.. Levine one of the
braVest men | ever met. | admire
him tremendously and ] am very
glad to be able to go with him across
the Atlantic"
Levine Enthusiastic
Levine donned a white helmet and
white flying suit for the trial flight
He pointed out the controls to Cap
tain Hinchcliffe but did not attempt
to operate the plane himself. despite
his success in flying it here from
Paris yesterday.
Mr.. Levine is as enthusiastic about
the prospects for the transatlantic
flight as his new pilot.
II am going back across the At.
lantic right away" he said, mo, not
today. but perhaps tomorrow. The
English are good sports. 7 have g
mass of kilograms from pilots will.
ing to fly me back home Just for the
sport and honor of it. But ] wouldn't
let anyone do it Just for honor
am going to pay the man l have
selected"
Cranwell is about an hours flight
from Croydon. The Columbia will be
left there, Levine and Hinchcliffe re.
turning to Croydon tonight in anoth.
or plane. Levine's family is expect.
ed TO arrive from Paris tonight.
The Cranwell airdrome, which
was one of the largest in Grea,
Britain during the war, was selected
for the transatlantic hop-o because
it is best suited for the launching Of
a plane with a heavy load of fuel.