The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-08-29
ACTUAL FLYING time
IS NEARLY Il DAYS,
SETS new RECORDS
Completes Last Leg From Los
Angeles of $500 Miles
in 81 Hours
CONGRATULATED BY HOOVER
Yep Hit Ground, Not Wires; win
Take Oft Saturday Night
for Home

Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, N.
j.. Aug. 29.-(AP)-Looping the
loop around the world in one Of the
greatest exploits Of flying history,
the German dirigible, Graf Zeppelin,
settled to earth at 7:13 o'clock f. S.
I. this morning just 81 days. seven
hours and 30 minutes after leaving
on her 10000 mile journey.
Actual flying time, deducting the
time spent on the ground at Fried
richshafen. Tokyo and Los Angeles,
the only three stops that were made.
was IL days, % hours and ID min
utcs. both flying and elapsed times
breaking all previous records.
The last leg of the flight from Los
Angeles, was completed in 81 hours
and SO minutes.
The previous record for elapsed
time around the world was made
last year by John Henry Mears and
C. B. D. Collyer, who used planes
over land and ships across the At
lantic and Pacific. Their time was
23 days, Is hours and 81 minutes.
5000 Jam Port
The weather was perfect as the
Graf reached the end of the first
flight around the world Of lighter
than-air ship. A warm morning sun
shone on the great bags silvery
sides as it floated in from the north
after visit to Manhattan. 1t cir
cled over the field, crowd Of some
5000 racing along the ground to be
close at the landing.
The ship overshot the landing
crew of 450 sailors and marines and
they had to scamper across the field
after the dragging ropes which were
lowered to the ground at 1907.
As the Graf was being hauled
down DR.. Hugo Eckener, its veteran
commander, waved from a cabin
window and Lieutenant Commander
Charles E. Roscndahl. U. S. N, who
made the entire world trip, leaned
out beside him to wave a gray scarf
to the crowd below.
Scene Lacks Excitement
The crowd was handled without
any trouble by sailors and marines
and the whole scene was one Of conf
plete lack of excitement.
The landing was made at 7:13
and at 7:40 it was safely berthed in
the hangar. The passengers were
kept in the cabin of the ship until
after it was taken into the hangar
and were then removed for customs
and immigration inspection. A spe-
cial train was waiting on a siding to
take them to New York.
The Graf left Lakehurst on its
great adventure at 11:4O p. m. Au-
gust z, making the 42O0 miles to
Friedrichshafen in SIS hours and %
minutes. After four day layover
for refueling it flew to Tokyo, $3.50
miles, in 1O1 hours and so minutes,
being held there five days by the
necessity of refueling and damage
done to the rear motor gondola in
taking the ship from the hangar.
IS Hours From Japan
The $500 miles from Tokyo to
Los Angeles was covered in 78
hours and So minutes and the last
leg, which was completed today,
was begun with less than q full day
spent in refueling.
DR.. Eckener went to the press room
in the hangar where he was cheered
by more than 100 reporters. with
whom he chatted.
Hoover Greets Eckenef
Beside Mr.. Eckener as he talked
was William A. McCracken, assistant
secretary Of commerce for aviation.
who flew here to deliver q message
to the dirigible commander from
President Hoover.
The Hoover message read:
"On my own behalf as well as my
fellow countrymen 1t gives me great
satisfaction to welcome you and the
members Of your party upon the
completion Of your memorable flight
around the world. It has been . great
adventure which again stirs the spirit
and interest Of all men and women.
ut marks another step in the pro-
gress Of aviation. The German peo-
pie are to be congratulated upon this
evidence Of their great contributions
to the art and you are to be con-
graduated upon your courage and
skill. w. r. Hearst, who understand
had Importantly aided the trip IL
nancially, Is also to be congratulated
upon its outcome"
Denies Hitting Wires
Lieutenant ]. G. Richardson, u. S.
navy observer on the world flight.
talked to the reporters after DR..
Eckener. He said the damage 70 tbs
rudder was done IN bumptag thu
ground In leaving Los Anoeles.
R-.H~sA