Dangerous Experiments

Almost martyrs to science, Grover C. Loening, President of the Loening Aeronautical Engineering Corporation, his brother Albert T. Loening and two pilots narrowly escaped drowning in the East River while testing out a new set of controls on one of their flying boats, the Breezewing. The experimental controls jammed and the boat made a nose dive into the river of 300 feet. Carried under water, the occupants were able to release themselves and were rescued by a motor boat acting as tender. The Breezewing, equipped with a 400 horsepower Liberty and capable of 130 miles per hour, was greatly damaged, but the aviators sustained only minor injuries. The accident was more than compensated for by technical information obtained.