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Aviation History
1933
1933 - 0180.PDF
FLIGHT, JULY 27, 1933 THE MOLLISONS' FLIGHT IT was in the early hours of Saturday morning, July 22. that Mr. and Mrs. Mollison decided the weather reports from the Air Ministry were favour able enough to allow a start to be made on their Atlantic flight. At 7.45 a.m. their D.H. Dragon " Sea farer," two " Gipsy Majors," left Stag Lane for Wales. On arriving at Pendine Sands, Carmarthenshire, the machine was loaded up with 420 gall, of petrol. At noon of the same day Mr. Mollison took off from the sands after a run of nearly 1,000 yd. According to the Mollisons' own story, they started off by flying just off the surface of the water, the visibility not being good. Strong head winds, fog and thick clouds handicapped them during most of the ocean crossing, so much so that they only saw the sea for about 3 hours out of the 22 they spent over it. At about 9 a.m. the following morn ing, Sunday, July 28, the Mollisons noted that the sea was sprinkled with icebergs, so they presumed that land was not far off.' Actually it was first sighted by them about midday. Reports from places on their route state that the machine was sighted over Robinson, Newfoundland, at 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 23 ; over New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, at 6.45 p.m.; over Advocate Harbour, Nova Scotia, at 8.45 p.m.; over Bar Harbour, Maine, at 10.32 p.m.; over Cape Elizabeth, Portland, Maine, at 10.42 p.m., and over Provincetown, Mass., at 11.35 p.m. Towards the close of Monday, July 24, when it was getting dark, the " Seafarer " was approaching New York. (FLIGHT Photo.) The Mollisons, knowing that their petrol supply was running perilously low, gave up the idea of attempting to reach New York and decided to land at Bridgeport, 60 miles short oi their destination. The aerodrome was lit up, a light trained on the wind indicator, and a machine was sent up to guide them down. Mr. Mollison, however, landed down wind, outside the aerodrome, and in a swamp. The machine turned over. Mr. Mollison being flung through the windscreen, while Mrs. Mollison crawled out from the wreckage. Both had to be taken to hospital, Mr. Mollison with face cuts, and Mrs. Mollison with shock. After a few hours in hospital Mr. and Mrs. Mollison were flown to New York, where they received a great welcome. It is reported that Mrs. Mollison was highly indignant at the suggestion that the crash was due to over fatigue, rather was she prepared to blame the airport authorities. It is a trifle early at present to endeavour, from the many varied reports, to lay blame, but Mr. Mollison, in his own story, states that there was consider able ground fog over the landing ground, which seems a more likely explanation for a landing being made outside the aero drome. In 39 hours the Mollisons have succeeded in flying the 3,300-mile crossing of the Atlantic which represents an average speed of about 85 m.p.h. In the issue of June 8, FLIGHT expressed an opinion that there was little wisdom in attempting the east to west crossing, when the setting up of a new long-distance record was the primary object. THE START : Seafarer just after taking off from Pendine Sands. 746
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