The first transatlantic flight 233
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The first transatlantic flight

The first transatlantic flight

The first transatlantic flight

 

In 20-ies of XX century, the planet literally froze in anticipation of the first transatlantic flight. Steel is ready to fly and French aviators Charles E. JM Nanzhesser and Francois Coli. For the first time it was decided to fly from Europe to America, from east to west, against the rotation of the Earth.

The commander was Nanzhesser. One of the best aces of France, at the end of the First World War, he had to his credit 45 shot down enemy planes. "Brand name" aboard his war machine - ace of hearts with a coffin and a skull with two crossed bones - horrifies German pilots.

 

transatlantic flight

Flight preparation
"White Bird" aircraft, which were going to fly pilots, was, in the words of one French journalist, "flying tank" - the ship weighed a total of five tons, four of which had fuel in the tanks. In order to best facilitate the car, the pilots refused even radio. In addition, immediately after take-off was to get rid of the wheel chassis. Which obliges the aircraft not designed for landing on water, land on the sea surface in the Bay of New York. And yet, despite all these tricks, fuel was running out.

The flight from Le Bourget to New York 8 May 1927, the enthusiastic crowd gathered at the airport Le Bourget (Paris suburb). Everyone wanted to take part in the event of the century. In 5 the morning, "White Bird" to "trademark" Nanzhessera aboard the beginning of the run. Heavy machine did not want to obey the will of the pilots and climb into the sky. Finally, though reluctantly, she pulled away from the ground and under the escort of several military aircraft disappeared in the sky.
transatlantic flight

The sensation of "Press"
Since there was no radio on board. Messages could only be expected from the ground. "White bird" was seen over Ile de France, Normandy, and there began the ocean ... The next message came just over a day from the beginning of the flight. Hurray, they are already in America! From Boston they wire: they were seen, they flew, they are going to New York! The whole of France held her breath. Only an hour later, at 17 hours 15 minutes, the Parisians were able to take a breath. Wounded with a long wait, they were literally tearing out from the hands of the peddlers a new newspaper, still smelling of printing ink, the "Press" number. The front page was full of different headlines:

"Glory to the masters of the French aviation!" "Nangsesser and Koli took the gold!" "Incredible details of the perfect raid!" Then the newspaper reported the very details of the assassination of French aviators in the Gulf of New York. The plane of Nanjessera flew to meet a whole squadron of fighters, led by Major Fulua. Accompanied by American combat aircraft, the White Bird sat on the water. The ships in the bay raised their welcome flags, sirens howled. Some New Yorkers, not believing their eyes, boarded their boats and left the bay. The sky was flooded with civilian aircraft hired by various press representatives. "White bird" sat on the water incredibly easily, after which the ship was immediately surrounded by several large ships. It was allocated four seaplanes that circled above the triumphant at the lowest possible altitude, performing the role of insurance. Having been brought up by Nangesher and Kolya they lingered, as if their victory over the ocean was a trifle, not worth the universal jubilation. But a few minutes later they appeared from the plane and embraced. To the applause of the spectators, howling engines and howling of the sirens, the pilots descended to dry land. Yes, it was a great day of French glory!

 

"White Bird"

Tran atlas flight

tragic mistake
Clouds of ecstatic telegrams flew after the "White Bird" across the ocean. And - not a word in return ... No, it was not possible for the two Frenchmen to become the first to cross the ocean by plane. They flew, they waved their wings to the Bostonians ... but they did not come to meet the New Yorkers who were waiting for them. They are missing, Nangesher and Kolya. They were waiting, they were looking for them. When all the terms were already reached, it became clear that they were dead. In a few minutes, a few kilometers before his triumph, the "White Bird" with a worm ace, a coffin and a skull fell into the waters of the ocean. Probably, this is the greatest disappointment, the most impressive failure in the history of aviation. They would have landed near Boston - and would have become winners, went down in history. But it was established in advance: a triumph in the eyes of a multimillion-dollar New York, from there it will be visible and audible to the whole world!

A whole police detachment held back crowds of outraged Parisians who tried at any cost to break into the offices of the Press and smash it to pieces. But the reason for this incomprehensible and senseless newspaper deception was still a mystery. The whole world, despite the grief of the two pilots who almost accomplished the almost impossible, could not resist a sarcastic grin: it was too much, they say, "in French" it all happened. As if bragging were the poor guys themselves - Nangesber and Kolya. Even sorrow for them was somehow muddied with this scandal. The greatness of the heroic death turned into a laughingstock. All that remains It took more than 30 years since the disappearance of the "White Bird". In the winter cold morning Cliff Island (American lobster catcher) went on a boat at sea. Lifting anchor their boats, he felt that he caught some gizmo from the bottom. When the anchor came out of the water, it hung some sheets, similar to the skin of the aircraft ... It was all that remained of the proud and mighty "White Bird", decides once on an unprecedented feat.

"Eyes to see" And three years later, in 1964, the mystery of the newspaper deception, the most striking in the history of the world press, was revealed. The famous French journalist Georges Raven published the book "Eyes to see," in which he told how everything happened on that ill-fated day in the newspaper's editorial office, since he himself was one of the main characters in this ugly story. After it was reported that the pilots were seen over Boston and, therefore, the main obstacle, the Atlantic Ocean, was overcome, the editor-in-chief made a decision that led to the collapse of the Press. "We need our newspaper to be the first to report a successful flight across the Atlantic!", He told the staff. Nobody decided to voluntarily think up the details of the yet-accomplished feat, and then the editor-in-chief appointed Raven as the youngest to this affair.

"I need fifty live lines" - "Maybe we should wait for more specific news?" - tried to protest the young employee. "To share profits with competitors and get only small crumbs from that, you could get it? You just do not feel the situation, my dear! They have won over the whole ocean, and so we can win our victory! "This is such a sad story. In fact, the crew of the "White Bird" achieved success, the first to make a transatlantic flight, but because of the tragic thirst for glory died. And another vice of the human soul - greed - influenced the "Press", which led to general indignation and hatred. Whatever the "White Bird" did not deserve.

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