Slim Pickens

The sirens on all the fire engine houses in St. Louis shrieked into a rain-streaked sky one morning last week by special order of Acting Mayor Neuman. A score of drenched employes of Curtiss-Robert-son Airplane Corp. paraded Lambert-St. Louis field, led by a small boy with a crude banner reading "Red and Obie did it again." Overhead the endurance-flying firm of "Red & Obie"--Dale Jackson and Forest O'Brine--waved from their orange-&-yellow monoplane, which had just flown past the endurance record of 553 hr. 41 min. set last month by the Hunter Broth- ers at Chicago (TIME, July 14).

As the paraders departed, the pilots settled down to the routine of securing their newly regained title by a safe margin. By note and radio they berated their promotion manager William Pickens for the lack of cash reward in sight. On learning that Pickens had rejected a $1,000 offer for endorsement of a brand of cigaret which neither flyer smokes, Pilot Jackson demanded. "Have you guys gone crazy? Get the dough and never mind whether we smoke them or not."

Four days later the Greater St. Louis unexpectedly landed after 647 hr. 28 min. 30 sec., before a desultory crowd of 800. Explained the flyers: "A cracked crank case." Observed Manager Pickens: "Not enough money. They'd have been saps to stay up." Gross rewards: possibly $30,000 in gifts, contracts for advertising and appearance at fairs. The champions might well have consoled themselves that lack of enthusiasm over their exploit would serve to forestall any early attempt to better it. But in Portland, Ore., the Stinson monoplane On to Oregon was taken aloft for just that purpose by the Brothers Tex, Dick & Bud Rankin, noted airmen of the West.

Fewer Ships, Fewer Motors

On the heels of the Department of Commerce inventory of U. S. aviation for 1930 (TIME, Aug. 18) appeared last week an analysis by Harvey L. Williams, president of Air Investors, Inc. Mr. Williams' survey, an independent effort, paralleled much of Secretary Young's but noted in addition: For the first time since Summer 1927 the number of airplanes licensed and identified has slumped (from 9,767 as of Jan. 1, to 9,524 as of July 1). As 1,500 new aircraft were licensed during that period, it means that about 1,740, or 18% of the total went out of active service. Production of aircraft engines dropped to 2,052 units for the half-year--54% of the number manufactured in the first six months of 1929.

Flights & Flyers

And Again, Hawks. By moonlight, Capt. Frank Monroe Hawks's red-&-white Travel Air Texaco 13 whizzed off the runway of Glendale Airport, Los Angeles, last week, hurdled the San Bernardino mountains, shot across the Mojave Desert to greet the rising sun, roared into Albuquerque in 3 hr. 26 min. The speed indicator clung close to 250 m.p.h. as the low-winged bullet tore eastward to Wichita. Next came a mid-afternoon stop at Indianapolis and then, three hours later, Curtiss Airport, Valley Stream L. I.--a new transcontinental record of 12 hr. 25 min. 3 sec.

His white shirt and linen knickers unsoiled. Capt. Hawks stood grinning in the cockpit, gnawed a sandwich, gulped coffee and water before responding to the welcoming committee. He disclaimed all concern in breaking the old record of 14 hr. 45 min., set by the Lindberghs on Easter Sunday. Said he: "I am not interested in records. It was purely a business demonstration of the possibilities of an aerial pony express. With relays of pilots and fast planes at intermediate points ... I think a schedule of 13 to 15 hrs. could be maintained. . . . The nonstop flight is of no value. Why load up with a lot of gas? ... I didn't really have the ship 'wide open'; but I don't think the flight can be made much faster."

Peaches, Peonies. Britain's dirigible R-100 ended her 13-day visit to Canada last week (TIME, Aug. 11), sailed for home with a new tear in her fabric, one of her six motors disabled as the result of a side-flight over Toronto, Ottawa and Niagara, and with nine English and Canadian news correspondents aboard. Freight and express revenues estimated at $500,000 had to be rejected in accordance with Air Ministry orders. Only excess cargo was a bunch of peonies for King George from Viscount Willingdon, governor-general; and a box of Canadian peaches for the Prince of Wales from Prime Minister Ferguson of Ontario. The homeward flight was uneventful until the second night when severe headwinds were accompanied by a deluge which overflowed the ballast tanks, penetrated the fabric, sloshed into the cabins, put the electric stove out of commission. Next day's breakfast consisted of sardines, whiskey & soda. The winds slowed the R-100 materially--for five hours the speed varied between 15 and 35 m. p. h. Sir Charles Dennistoun Burney, designer, had hoped to make the 3,200-mi. crossing in 50 hr.; the time to moorings at Cardington, England was 57 hr. 5 min.* Officials announced that new "skins" would be placed on both R-100 and R-101; that both craft will be kept busy, the R-101 starting with a flight to Egypt and India this Autumn, the R-100 probably repeating its Canadian voyage.

Cloud-rider. At Mt. Wasserkupper in the Rhon Mountains, where international glider contests were in progress last week, an approaching thunderstorm sent pilots and spectators scurrying for cover. One pilot, however, Robert Kronfeld of Austria, deliberately took off with his new glider Wien, largest ever built. He knew that the heavy clouds indicated strong upcurrents. He "hooked on" beneath a cloud, soared ahead of the storm's center, landed at Hof, 94 mi. distant, bettering his old world's record by two miles.

Skillful Skid. NYRBA Line's flying boat Porto Rico was late leaving Porto Rico for Havana last week, delayed by laggard passengers. To make up time, instead of skirting the Cuban coastline Pilot H. Sewell elected to cut across country 50 mi. between Cienfuegos and Havana. Nearly across this--the only stretch of land on the company's 8,000-mi. routes--the plane's gas feed line became airbound, cutting off both motors. Pilot Sewell thought fast, acted skillfully. After the steward had thrown the luggage of the 15 passengers overboard to lighten the load, Pilot Sewell chose a smooth hillside, guided the flying boat down, "skidded her in" to a safe landing. Damage was slight, all luggage retrieved.

Cosmic Plan. Dr. Auguste Piccard, professor of physics in Brussels University, last week ordered a 2,000-volt dry battery as equipment for a specially constructed free balloon with an airtight cabin. He announced he would ascend 52,000 ft./- over Augsburg, Germany, next month to study the "cosmic ray" believed to originate in interstellar space.

Ankle. Over Washington, D. C. last week Capt. Ira Eaker, famed army flyer, parachuted from his spinning plane, landed near St. Elizabeth's (Government hospital for the insane), was treated there for a sprained ankle.

*In August 1929 the Graf Zeppelin flew 4,200 mi. from Lakehurst, N. J. to Friedrichshafen in 55 hr. 24 min.

/- Highest balloon ascension on record: 42,470 ft. made in 1927 by Capt. Hawthorne C. Gray who perished at 40,000 ft. when he accidentally severed an oxygen tube.

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