Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-09
OWN STORY OF HOP
IS TOLD BY SOUCEK
Plane Left Ceiling in Wild
Spin, Says Record
Breaker of Navy.
Continued From First Page.)

| NCODtlOuPQ FTOW FlISb TdB6.D
moored in the Potomac at Quantico, Va.
But that was just a glance over the
side. My eyes belonged on the instru-
mentS in the cockpit. They needed
| more eyes and hands than have.
We were at $4,000 feet. Time to turn
on the oxygen, ever so slightly: not that
1 needed it, but DR.. Sears says it is best.
wanted to conserve all my strength for
the long pull up above. I could do this
by using the oxygen at the earlier stages
of the flight where the air still has
enough oxygen to sustain life. BY that
time the ever widening circles of my
flight were is miles in diameter.
Up to $4,000 Feet.
We were up to $4,000 feet. A strong
southwest wind developed at this alti-
tude, fully 20 miles an hour. Too strong
to permit me to maintain the circles
had planned. The wind blew as fast
as the plane up in this level.
The best thing to do was to stick my
nose up into the wind and let both the
wind and the motor lift us. So we
climbed up into the wind, staying over
the same spot, apparently right over the
Arlington Memorial.
We were climbing now at a little
sleeper angle. I pulled back the stick
~ get up faster.
The air speed indicator showed we
we're travelling at rs miles an hour
was supposed to slow down the speed
mile for each 1000 feet of climb. We
would be going just as fast, but the air,
as 1t grew rarer, flowing through the
venture tube to the air speed indicator,
does not actuate the indicator as much
as down on the ground
Begins to Feel the Cold.
My radius of vision began to in
crease. The clear day enabled me to
see horizon so miles away. We were
at 10000 feet. began to feel the
cold air around my eyes.
The temperature fell rapidly, so
put on my goggles to prevent the pos
sibility of freezing my eyes and eyelids.
The plans kept its steady climb into
the wind, on UP to 10000 feet. The
appearance of the earth below was
much the same as at 10000 feet.
Things began to go harder. The
engine began to show signs of needing
more air. The dial which shows en-
NAL 1000 revolutions minute to 100.
We couldn't go much higher without
more air in the engine. The air was
too rare.
1t was time to close the supercharger
valve DETECTING the air into the car
buretor, reproducing the conditions on
the ground. The Wasp picked up at
once, the engine revolutions going back
to normal. The old ship climbed again
at better rate, but still much slower
than down below.
Opens Oxygen Valve Wider.
All the time I had been opening up
the oxygen valves wider and wider.
Breathing became more difficult. I felt
little bit weak and very tired, as If
had not slept for days. That was
the signal again. needed more oxygen.
Time, too, to supercharge the gas
tank The gas pressure got lower.
needed that gas in the engine. Still
we climbed We we're at $1,000 feet,
where the trouble began. Though we
were headed westward and making
probably so miles an hour, the wind
was too strong for us. It was carrying
us backward, slowly. At this same
speed we would be making 90 miles an
hour on the ground.
I didn't feel the cold, but realized
that it was getting very cold. My
shoulder was tired from the strain of
pushing on the supercharger valve.
tried q turn to keep the bend in the
Potomac at Washington in view, but 1t
was hard work The light oil which
lubricates the controls-the aileronS,
elevator and rudder-had frozen, and 1T
was all could do to move that stick.
Battle Begins in Earnest.
Then came the tough part. The bat
tie began in earnest. However, every
thing went so successfully that far
had visions of climbing to at least
$4,000 feet on my altimeter. 1t looked
within my grasp. From then on was
too busy to look out again. I needed
my bearings, too. I could still see the
Naval Air Station had disappeared.
The Capital was blur on the ground,
too small to permit me to distinguish
buildings. could see the fine, parallel
lines Of streets. Hams Point stood out
like tiny pickle.
North of me I could see the head Of
Chesapeake Bay and the fine line which
indicated the course Of the Susque-
hanna River. South could see down
the bay to where it joined the Atlantic
at Hampton Roads. The Potomac
wasn't big any more. The country be-
low looked like nothing but a crazy
quilt of tan and green patches, with
the fine line Of the river like a tear in
the cloth.
The bay and rivers are fine points
Of reference when you are so high above
the earth. The sun was almost over
head, its rays silvering the water. To
the westward a haze was beginning to
obscure the mountains, but could fol-
low the course of the Potomac almost
to Harpers Ferry.
The view was beautiful. fascinating,
but I had to get back to work. If
could get 5000 feet more there would
be no doubt Of establishing a new rec
ord. But my optimism didn't last long.
Has to Remove Goggles.
Several things happened simultane-
ously. In the first place the altimeter
seemed to stick at $4,000 feet. A cloud
came across my eyes. I recognized the
frost slowly beginning to form on the
glass of my goggles. There was no use
trying to wipe 1t OF. couldn't touch
the inside of the glass where the frost
was. hoped 1t would clear up, but in
stead of clearing it grew steadily heavier.
I had to rely upon the tiny holes
NBATTERIEs 49,