Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-24

ignition apparatus was defective. Scm'
time was required to remedy this. W.
had 10 send to the airdrome at Al
verga, where our plane had been KEEP
during our stay in Lisbon, for the par
we needed
Finally, about am. Sunday. the
18th, everything IVES really ready al
last. We measured of the runway
once more in an automobile. placing
small flags at intervals. Then we
warmed up the motor while Costa
VEGAS friends made him their ma
farewell and pressed good luck charms
upon him.
We took aboard a few remaining
trifies. we were carrying sufficient fue
for 40 hours and provisions for two
days. We throttled down our motor
The moment had come! Mechanics re-
leased the blocks from our landing
wheels. After a run of 2,460 feet we
were up. 1t was then $50 am. Re-
member the day-Sunday, September IS
Encountered Bad Weather.
We circled the starting point once,
then took up our course for the Azores
At GAS we left the coast of Portugal
Al Io:45 we sighted a small steamer
our farewell to Europe. We mao
slight. breeze. east northeast The
weather was good We sped along at
a fraction over Ill miles an hour. and
were over the Azores at $50 that sun
day evening.
Hardly had We passed the Azores
when the weather changed. 1t grew
bad. The barometer fell and strong
head wind arose 1t grew colder, and
at nightfall heavy cloud banks piled up
before us. Rain began and we decided
10 climb.
We had been flying at an altitude Of
about $50 feet. but we pulled up to
hn0 vii
loaded, rose only slowly. The weather
got worse and worse. And now we
found ourselves in the center OF ter
fible storm.
Whirlwinds rocked us back and forth.
They tossed us and battered us so that
we could not keep straight course.
Again and again We were hammered
about in a circle It was with great
dificulty that We kept any altitude.
Now it had become completely dark:
The night was black. The violence OF
the storm increased. In some way we
had to gain greater altitude. We knew
that we must rise to nearly 10000 feet
If we we're to hold our course.
Had to Thaw Instrument.
We gave our engine full throttle and
finally we struggled above the clouds.
There was so much electricity In the
AtdNOcBAEEC HS VIC AOuEhb OuA way AP
through these tumbling cloud masses
that the propeller and the tips of the
wings were flashing with 1t. That was
q wonder Of nature such as we never
had seen before. 1t awed us.
As soon as we got above the heavy
cloud banks the air became calm. Stars
shone through flying wisps Of cloud.
But the temperature had gone swiftly
down. We feared our benzol would
freeze. However, we knew that in
emergency we had an enforceable mix
ture in q reserve tank. something to
fall back upon at a crucial moment.
For two hours now everything had
gone well, aside from that drop In tenn
perature. Then suddenly our air speed
happened? The windows had become
glazed with q thin skin Of Ice, and We
knew that the speed indicator must be
In like condition.
We couldn't get along at night with
out this important instrument, SO we
Immediately went down into warmer
air where the ice would melt. But We
had no ease OF mind now.
About O'Clock In the morning Mon
day, September IA, our motor faltered
and missed. The tachometer, an In
strument which indicates the number
of motor revolutions per minute, sank
fast.
A spark plug was not functioning and
the engine was suffering along on only
I'VE of its six cylinders. The situation
was perilous. It was the most danger
Gus moment Of that dangerous night
But the motor kept going and we
headed toward where we knew land
20 be.
Only Hope for Best.
Attentively, fearfully. We listened to
the tune of that hesitant motor. Would
II last? Would there be enough fuel?
We knew that we must fly constantly
with full throttle IL we were to hold
the plane up and dampen the vibration
Of the engine q little.
Daybreak was still four long hours
away. The night continued strenuous
and wearing. We were now flying about
200 feet above the sea. We used smoke
bombs to gauge the force Of the head
wind we were butting.
Time and again we wondered and
epeculated and calculated how We could
reach land and its safety with this
enormous demand on our fuel. But we
could only shrug our shoulders and
hope for the best. Our fate now, 1t
seemed. depended upon the caprice Of
the wind.
Straight ahead We determined pre-
cisely our drift and the force of the
wind. 1t was matter of life and death
A hackneyed. weary phrase. that. But
we knew its truth then only too well
Now and then we ventured to throttle
the motor somewhat, but that wouldn't
do. The vibration OF the engine had
become to severe that We couldn't read
the compass any more. There was i'm
minent danger OF our magnet needles
breaking of.
Long hours passed, but still our motor
struggled pluckily on. Only occasion
mllrr mBhaFt aN,t0ht tn olffkstda
It stagger and miss. Still We could fly
only with fun throttle. We knew what
that meant-it cut our radius by one
third.
But we few straight ahead, with con-
fidence that we would yet make land
At last We saw a distant speck on the
sea. It grew larger. 1t was a passen-
ger steamship, the Pennland.
Wanted to Reach America.
Instantly we ascertained from our
map the distance to land from that
ships course. Quickly we circled above
the Pennland. Little did those on
board know OF our desperate situation.
They thought probably that we were
saying a gay good-morning
We had no time. After oar circle
over the ship we struck of again. The
sPennland continued on Its course.
Swiftly distance separated US. We
knew a hazardous play was beginning.
Everything was at stake. We had had
our chance of immediate safety with
that liner SO close. Bpt no one of us
thought of our lives. We wanted to
reach America in our plane and to land
there
We three agreed that we would stick
IL out as long as one single drop OF fuel
remained. But the gods had sworn an
oath against us. Those head winds blew
stronger and stronger. We pumped the
residue OF our fuel from every tank and
RtPatnaA n,tr nuae q :. vfosfefu for q oify,a nee