Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-11

fashion and I was able to guide the
expedition into a small plowed field
surrounded by trees about 100 yards
from river. The ground had been
flooded, although it was not sloppy OF
wet.
Ninety Miles an Hour.
THE wind was blowing about 20
miles an hour. AS a last farewell, the
chute whipped about and gave me a
Wallop that threw me on my back and
made me roll a complete somersault.
Il was tangled and trapped in the
silken shrouds. There I lay, big fish
in net. The more I wriggled, the
more 1 became entangled.
With the hot sun beating down
plenty of clothes for minus 60-degree
weather and completely faded, I had
more thoughts of mapping.
I'm a few minutes some men came
around and unrayeled the mess My
quarter-mile walk through a cornfield
TO the plane seemed like five miles.
Il found l had landed l hour and SO
minutes after starting the flight and ]
was 100 miles from Scott Field I be-
lieve the upper air currents carried me
about 80 miles an hour"
That comprised the second episode in
/ HgnCef-than-alr adventure.
Sealed instruments recovered the fol-
lowing day from Wabash River swamp
contained the flights unbiased log
When calibrated in the laboratories OF
the Bureau of Standards. Washington
they verified the pilots story-namely
that he had assembled approximately
4O'oOo 1eet' more exactly, 42,470 feet.
Not Enough Proof.
But parting with his balloon and
signing the Caterpillar roll rebounded
against him like the reflex of a boom
erang. From FAI headquarters. Paris
came frank refusal to grant the alti-
tude record. because Capt. GRAY had
not landed IN physical possession of his
lnstruments-thiS in face Of proof Of
fered by the National Aeronautic Asso-
cation that the balloonist was In his
pasKet when the bag reached its cell
ing. BESIDES, an Army cameraman had
filmed moving picture sequence OF
capt. Grays ascent and jump--a Cater
pillar story told photographicalIy
Assure nces from Army and Navy fly
eLS, petiClohs from aeronautical experts
afhdavlts and photographic records failed
to Jar the FAI from its stand.
Ampltlon uged him on. The unofficial
record implied failure. He was bitten
by constant reminder that the flight
might nave been more perfect: he could
nave laid evey official doubt in its
etsrhaI grave and satisfied critics for al
/ time
! In the next few months the aeronau-
ticai development section renewed prepa
/ TatlonS Tor cOSmic exp -iition. Capt
/ Gray ana ms assistants essayed to cor
/ rect every mechanical defect that hao
/ nade lCSeH known on May Doubt
/ chance and inefficiency never knew such
cold analysis as was focused on them al
/ Scott Field
Above the Clouds.
soon all was in readiness. Improve
/ mentS had been made in the defective
helmet. An electric coil from dry eel
batteries served to heat and melt frost
mat would crust his built-in goggles
Inc glass was coated with gelatin, a.
Iurther precaution against accumula'
tlon OF moisture. Oxygen tanks were
heated by coil from the same
batteries
Capt. Gray donned the leather cos.
tune formerly used by Capt. John A
Macready who had We the airplant
/ altitude record. Under the leather hi
wore his Army uniform, knitted
sweater, breeches, wool underclothinf
ana tour pairs Of socks: feet encased ir
tur-ilned moccasins. Careful attention
was given to the oxygen apparatus. But
ms III would depend not only or
| tanked oxygen but on the airs pressure
also. AT 2:35 pm. Capt Gray took or
and rose quickly to 100 feet Wine
caught the basket and tossed IL. Hi
rate Of climb increased to about 700 fee
par minutA.