Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-05-20
lone AIRMAN
STARTS TRIP
ACROSSOCEAN
Expects to Reach Des-
tination in 36 Hours;
Has Narrow Escape
In Take-Off

separates the mainland of Nova
Scotia from Cape Breton Island az
2.O5 o'clock eastern standard time.
He was flying high and the markings
on his gray monoplane could not be
seen.
Government vessels and steam
ships are watching for the intrepid
American but are not expected 10
sight him until he gets his airplane
off the coast Of New Foundland.
ROOSEVELT FIELD. N. NJ. May 20.
--t4i-Charics "A. Lindbergh. captain
10 the Missouri National Guards, but
"Slim' 70 his buddics. Set out today
CT an unmarked mir train for Paris.
The Missourian. who plays Il lone
hand, had no one to show him the
way a. he hurled his Ryan mono
plane the spirit Of st. Louis" into
the muggy air above Roosevelt field
"a few minutes before \ o'clock this
morning
= The flying fool as his friends
sffectionately call him. is on his
way, but he Just is Five times in
the $500 feet of the long runway
over which he sped in making his
take-of he was close TO disaster.
twice BY inches. AT the very last. az
he was climbing before straightcn-
lnE out for the start VI his course
leading north. his plane. weighted
by load Of $3.50 pounds, barely
cleared string Of telegraph wires.
"a few seconds before VI had almost
struck a road scrape a. he was M
tempting I'd get off the ground.
Three times the plane struck s0fa
spots and bounded into the air "A
ways coming hack 20 earth and finn
~ Strengthening out, after seconds nr
hesitation which seemed minutes ta
the anxious spectators fringing the
flying field. The slightest slip would
have been dire disaster. for Lind
bergh knew he had no easy task H
getting his plane off the ground as
he increased his speed steadily a. hH
tore down the runway. when hr
finally left the earth for the air. h..
was literally the "flying fool" ne
called.
Fuel For l5 Hours
The plane carried iiS gallons Wf
gasoline and the 25 year Old aviaf r
who believes that he travels the fa4
est who travels alone. thought WI h#
sped away that ne could fly for lH
hours on that amount ~ fuel HH
does not think that he will need if.
for he expects 70 land in Paris wit
no stops on the way in not NOR
than 80 hours.
Lindbergh's departure followed az
eleventh hour decision. lie apparent
~ had no though early last nigh
that the weather would permit hin
to essay the long jump across tn
trackless Atlantic today
There was fox reported and m
temperature Off New Foundland wa
lower than he would have liked
had hc been able 10 pick and rhoutr
his weather. when ~ retired shcrt'H
after III o'clock, Nv expected tD " H
the crowd watching him rlosry
again today.
Rain Delays start
He saw most OF them only when WI
was attired IN flying clothes and
ready 70 defy the elements over u
three thousand mile trip The weath.
er at midnight was more hopeful
and il was decided that "Slim" would
be off II the Improvement kept up.
lie was Up az 2;30 a. ~. and was ~
his hangar ir s5 minutes. The I'M
provement in weather IN the Allan
tic Was reported AZ hoped for. hut
IN the meantime, rain began fnll-
ing here The unfav0rable local
weather again made the verdict IN
doubtful one. The rain did not last
long and although " heavy mist
hung over the field the weather w.
mort was studied again and then
LindberRh suddenly said Let's ga"
to =. y. Stumpf. fellow Missouri
National Guardsman and rcprescnta-
Continued on page two.)