Evening star., 1932-05-22
MRS. PUTNAM SETS
NEW AIR RECORDS.
DO-X Completes First Leg
of Return Flight to
Switzerland.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page)
and ran to the farm house, where she
found a very surprised Irishman.
Mr.. Gallagher offered her tea but
she was in too much of hurry to take
it So he motored her to Londonderry.
five miles away. and there she put in
transatlantic call.
Il did It'll" she exultingly told her
husband George Palm er Putnam, pub
Usher, who was waiting anXiOuSly In
New York for news of her.
IA Hours 81 Minutes.
Mrs. Putnam made approximately
1000 miles in IA hours and "a minutes,
giving her the best time record OF any
of the transatlantic flyers. She was
headed for Paris when she took off
from Harbor Grace, but she encounter
ed too much trouble to make it possible
to go any further-almCst too much 10
get to Ireland.
About four hours after leaving New
foundland," she said, Il noticed flames
from the exhaust, and became very
uneasy. But it would have taken four
hours to get back and I though it SAFER
to go ahead.
MY next trouble was a leak in the
gasoline tank and all the time l was
worried whether the fuel would last
out the trip.
ITO add to my troubles, I encoun-
tered heavy weather and the storm cur
tailed my speed.
II saw land at about the middle OF
Ireland-probably it was Galway-and
then flew north. l next saw a rail-
,af IN
derry, and 1 finally landed in the field.
Not Fatigued At All.
"All I had to eat on the trip was
some tomato juice. The only clothes
have with me are the flying suit on
my back and the only money l have Is
$40 that was handed to me as l was
leaving. I haven't even a check to sign.
II haven't slept since Friday morn
ing, but I don't feel the least bit IA
tigued."
Mrs. Putnam revealed that she al
most met disaster when she landed.
Her plane came to rest within few
yards of the farmers cottage and she,
very tired and half blinded by the con-
tinuous strain on her eyes, did not see
the house until the ship stopped.
1T would have been eXaSperating to
crash into the cottage after safely land
ing" she said, but my luck held out
AS her plane started its sudden swoop
earthward the racket of its motor
startled a ploWman and his horses in
a field nearby. The horses bolted and
the plowman had hard time getting
them back at their business.
Late tonight Mrs. Putnam sent her
apologies to the man, but they were
not needed He had learned that the
MI yu-hi I'D a hnl
by the blue had crossed the Atlantic
and was piloted by a woman-so every
thing was all right
Hard to Find Her.
The arrival of the slim. blonde. 80
year-old airWoman was SO unexpected
that even the Londonderry police had
a hard time finding her when they
learned she had put their community
in the all-time log of big aviation feats.
Mr.. Gallagher first took her to the
ElmS, the home of Mrs. Francis
Mcclure, a prominent Londonderry
woman, and from there she sent out
the messages that let the world know
she was safe
1t was in Londonderry that she got
her first taste of public acclaim. A
great crowd gathered about her as she
was starting back to have one mere
look at the plane that brought her
across. Mayor McCorkell broke through
the ring of well-wishers, shook her
hand and exclaimed, you've done an
amazing thing!"
Mrs Mcclure was much impressed
by her unexpected guest.
She didn't seem bit perturbed or
anxious" she said "She didn't show
any signs of strain or fatigue. She
first had to wash and brush up and
then she went back to her plane
"Outwardly she was quite calm. but
really she was very excited at making
the crossing. When every one began to
rush up and congratulate her she took
it all with little smile"
Hurried Back to Bed.
When the round of fluctuations was
over, Mrs. Putnam hurried back to the
Gallanger farm and went happily to
bed She left word to be called early
for she wanted to start her flight to
England at dawn.
In addition to setting a speed record,
the airwoman put herself in special
niche, for no one else ever flew from
America to Europe and then went back
and did it over again.
Her other crossing was In June. 1928.
That time she was passenger. Asked
which trip she liked better, she said:
There is no comparison. On this go
I was flying low the whole time and had
to rely on myself.
II am afraid / am bit deaf after
the terrible roar of the engine in my
ears all the time, but at any rate have
done it."