Love nodded in confirmation of this. "He's flown the mail on worse days than this," the latter said to me. "He knows what he is doing." Colonel Lindbergh took off first, in order to fly over Lynn and Worcester on the way to Portland. Love wished to follow immediately, but he was doubtful about carrying anyone with him. Mail pilots are accustomed to flying alone in fog. In addition, his bank-and-turn indicator had not been working well. Finally, he decided to test this in a flight around the airport. He had hardly taken off when the fog descended completely to the ground, so that he could not see to land. We heard him circling overhead for 20 minutes and then the sound of his engine died away. Sorenson and I, thinking he had gone to Portland, secured a State trooper and an automobile and headed for Maine at high speed. Reaching Portland, we were glad to find that Love had landed safely in a small field near Biddeford. He had returned to Boston shortly after we had left and had taken off again. The fog had been so bad that he had flown clear across New Hampshire without once seeing the State. Colonel Lindbergh had circled above Portland for more than three hours, trying to see through the dense fog, which covered almost all of the countryside. Knowing that the Spirit of St. Louis would not be safe at any place but the airport, he did not make an emergency landing, such as Love had done, but headed southwest and landed at Concord, New Hampshire, where he remained overnight, flying to Portland on Sunday. This was to have been a rest day, so we were back on schedule the next day, when we started for the official visit to Concord. MOST OF THE NATION'S FAMOUS SCENIC SPOTS SEEN FROM THE AIR We had decided to fly over all the noted scenic spots of the country when such excursions would not delay the tour; so this morning we headed the ships north, into. the White Mountains, at first flying together in close formation. Then we spread out and began to explore different parts of the range. We remained in sight of each other un til after circling Lake Winnepesaukee and Poland Springs. Here we separated, our advance plane going straight to Concord, while Colonel Lindbergh flew over one or two cities to drop messages, which were inclosed in canvas bags, with orange streamers to attract attention. The messages were as follows: ABOARD "SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS" ON TOUR Because of the limited time and the This message from the air, however, is sent you to express our sincere appreciation of your interest in the Tour and in the promotion and extension of commercial aeronautics in the United States. We feel that we will be amply repaid (Signed) CHARLES A. LINDBERGH. Assistant Secretary for Aëronautics, From the start, the program had grown easier, as we became more used to it. At Concord and at most of the cities that followed, the ceremonies were about the same as at Hartford. Between Concord and Springfield we explored the Green Mountains. Once or twice we surprised the inhabitants of some remote village, as we shot down over them. On the way to Albany we twisted around in the Catskills until heavy rainstorms sent us back on our course to the Hudson. Lake George was the magnet that drew us the next day. We were scheduled for a touch stop at Schenectady, but we left Albany rather early and flew around this city on the way to Lake George. The short distance between Albany and Schenectady The punt in which Colonel Lindbergh and Philip Love are shown had just been shoved to one side by the occupants in the punt ahead of them. In the battle which followed, everyone in the party was in imminent danger of being ducked, but all escaped with minor injuries. caused the people to expect us there within a few minutes, although we were not due until later. When we did not arrive it was reported that we had had an accident. This happened several times afterward in similar cases, for we did not announce our "sight-seeing" plans. The Schenectady visit illustrates a touch stop. We did not leave the airport because of the short time at our disposal. Colonel Lindbergh gave a talk on aviation and made an opportunity for the crowd to see the Spirit of St. Louis. From Schenectady to Syracuse was a fairly short flight. The next day we headed for Rochester, which was another touch stop. We had some extra time in going to Buffalo, so we flew over Niagara Falls. The wires near the brink kept us from getting a very close glimpse of the Falls, but we had a fairly good view of the famous cataract, from both the American and Canadian sides (see illustration, page 10). Low clouds and a misty rain made visibility poor as we neared Buffalo and we had to detour around the city to be sure of not striking any buildings. There was no trouble in landing after we found the airport, which is one of the best in the United States. Our first holiday began on the second day at Buffalo. We drove across the International Bridge into Canada, heading up toward Turkey Point, on Lake Erie (see illustrations above and on pages 9 and II). Here we spent Saturday and Sunday fishing and swimming. Although there were scores of other fishermen within a short distance of us, some of them less than 100 feet away, no one recognized Colonel Lindbergh as he leaned against a thwart and lazily dangled a line over the side of our boat. Sunday night we returned to Buffalo, feeling quite refreshed and ready to go on with the tour. Kusterer, who had doubled back to compare notes with us, missed his A CHANGE FROM THE ROUTINE OF BANQUETS The aviators of the nation-encircling flight spent the week-end of July 30 near Turkey Point, Canada, on Lake Erie. This was one of the few times during the tour when Colonel Lindbergh was securely hidden from the thousands of enthusiastic admirers who always clamored to see him. train on Sunday night and flew to Cleveland on Monday as a passenger in the advance plane. THE ADVANCE MAN GETS A RIDE AND A THRILL Because of a slight delay in getting started, Love decided to fly straight down the shore of Lake Erie at a low altitude, so that he would not meet the head winds higher up. Two or three times, when we were rather close to the water, he purposely changed the altitude adjustment in the carburetor so that it created a lean mixture, making the engine sputter erratically. Sorenson and I would pretend to get ready for a forced landing in the lake, advising Kusterer to get a life preserver and be prepared to jump just as we struck. When we arrived in Cleveland he swore he would never get in another ship with any member of the tour. The police had difficulty in controlling the crowd at the Cleveland airport, but the ships were finally put under cover. After the official program, Colonel Lindbergh renewed his friendship with Ambassador Herrick and his family. Next came Pittsburgh, with its scores of steel mills and foundries. From here we went to Wheeling, landing at Moundsville after a pleasant flight down the Ohio River. The following day we flew across the more level State of Ohio to Dayton, the home of the Wright Brothers. After this we visited Cincinnati, flying once again across the Ohio River and circling the THE "RIGHT TURN" OF THE NIAGARA RIVER AT THE FAMOUS FALLS The American Fall, near the International Bridge, and the Canadian (Horseshoe) Fall, near the top of the picture, photographed from the air at an elevation of 2,000 feet. Goat Island divides the Falls into two parts. Kentucky hills before landing. For some reason, this particular spot seemed to have an unusual attraction for Love, who left most regretfully on Monday morning when it was time to go on to Louisville. Here we circled Churchill Downs, home of the famous Kentucky Derby. On the next flight we passed over a race track of a different kind, the automobile speedway of Indianapolis, where some of the most thrilling races in the world have been run. This speedway was familiar to me, as Floyd Bennett had landed the Josephine Ford in the center of it the year before. Now Indianapolis has a new airport, fully equipped and ready for extensive operations. The tenth of August found us at Detroit. Before landing, we flew along the Canadian border for a view of the Detroit skyline, which makes a superb picture when viewed from a low altitude (see page 13). On the second day here Colonel Lindbergh invited Henry Ford to ride in the Spirit of St. Louis. This was Mr. Ford's first flight. LINDBERGH'S MOTHER TAKES HER FIRST RIDE IN THE "SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS" The next city visited was Grand Rapids. Colonel Lindbergh's mother made the trip from Detroit to this city in a three-engine metal plane and returned that night after the banquet. Mrs. Lindbergh is an en On board the Lightnin', owned by the aviators' week-end host, Colonel Lindbergh is seated between Philip Love, pilot of the advance plane, and Lieutenant Keyhoe (below and in front). There was a slight delay here. When changing oil some one had overlooked priming the craft's pump, so that there was no pressure when Colonel Lindbergh started the engine. He saw this at once and switched off the engine, signaling the mechanic to take down the pump. Although this priming required 45 minutes, it did not result in his being late at Cleveland. A time allowance was always made for just such an emergency. |