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Aviation History
1928
1928 - 0972.PDF
OCTOBER 18, 1928 GRAF ZEPPELIN'S ATLANTIC VOYAGE Friedrichshaven-Lakehurst, N.J., m 4 Days 15 Hrs. LEAVING her base at Friedrichshafen, Germany, at 7.50 a.m. (G.M.T.) on October 11, the new Graf Zeppelin, commanded by Dr. Hugo Eckener, flew the Atlantic to Lakehurst, New Jersey, in 111 hrs. 35 mins., or 4 days 15 hrs. She landed at La'kehurst at 10.33 p.m. (G.M.T.) "on October 15, having covered approximately 5,000 miles. Before the start last Thursday the weather over the Atlantic was very unfavourable, and Commander Rosendah, the American commander of the Los Angeles airship, was inclined to be against a start, but Dr. Eckener felt confident and the ship then left, passing quickly from view over Lake Con- stance. The immediate course was to the south of France to avoid the bad weather in the Bay of Biscay. She was sighted over Belfort, Lyons and Montelimar during the day, and by 3.30 p.m. passed Marseilles in conditions extremely favourable. French military aeroplanes escorted the weather was better than expected, for it had been thought advisable to steer a straight southerly course towards the Bermudas. At 10.30 the Zeppelin sent out wireless messages again, chiefly to ships, and Gibraltar, as the atmospheric conditions created difficulties in communicating with the German coastal station at Norddeich. Port Horizontal Fin Damaged The Washington Navy Department was asked for weather reports at the Azores and Bermuda. This message was picked up by the British steamer Windsor Castle, relayed to Portishead and thus passed on to Washington. When 1,100 miles east of Bermuda and 1,500 miles east of Charleston, South Carolina, the port horizontal fin was damaged and the speed of the airship reduced to 40 m.p.h. Repairs were completed, and the speed was then given as " GRAF ZEPPELIN " : The new Zeppelin airship L.Z.127, which has just accomplished a record flight from Germany to Lakehurst, N.J., flying over Lake Constance during her trials. In the foreground is a Dornier " Super-Wai " (four Bristol " Jupiters ") flying boat. the airship part of the way over France. At 7 p.m. Barcelona was reached. A wireless message was received at Friedrichs- hafen indicating that the course was set for the African coast owing to storms on the Spanish coast and the ocean crossing was anticipated to commence at 2 a.m. The original course planned was via the Azores direct, but these islands were eventually reached from the south-east. Ocean Crossing After leaving Barcelona the Zeppelin passed Gibraltar and wirelessed this position to the wireless station at Casablanca, having been flying for 21 hrs. Flying west- south-west she started across the ocean and was sighted by the British steamer Cymric when about 190 miles south of Cape St. Vincent. By the afternoon the island of Madeira was passed, and when west of the island she was sighted by another steamer flying in fair weather. Over Funchal a mail bag was dropped for the German Consul there. The speed of the ship was 85 m.p.h. On a north-west course, she passed the Azores 30 miles south at 8 p.m. Friday. Rain and cloud prevailed at the time. This northerly course suggested that 55 m.p.h. This damage was considered due to a sudden vertical gust of wind. Weather was rough at the time. The Navy Department next received a message from the airship informing them of the defect, also requesting that a ship in the vicinity should follow her course. All light cruisers at Hampton Roads and a squadron of destroyers at Charleston, South Carolina, were ordered to be ready to leave immediately should need arise. This happened on Saturday, and still the arrival of the airship at Lakehurst was expected on Sunday by the commander, Dr. Eckener. Slow Progress The Zeppelin was reported over Bermuda at 12 midnight on Saturday, and by 1 p.m. on Sunday her position was only 80 miles further towards the goal. She was burning red and green flares when seen from Bermuda, and the north-east wind had dropped considerably. It took from 12 midnight on Saturday until 3.10 p.m. on Monday for the airship to fly the 500 miles from Bermuda to the coast of America at a point 6 miles north of Cape Charles, Virginia. At the moment of landfall she had been flying for 104 hours. The landing 902
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