Flights & Flyers

Blimp in a Gale. When the wind over Manhattan whipped up to gale force Pilot Prescott Dixon of the Goodyear blirnp Columbia decided to get back to earth at

Holmes Airport. Only a few weeks ago a wind like that had kept the silvered globule from landing for 31 hr. Gingerly Pilot Dixon nosed the Columbia to within 50 ft. of the ground, when a sudden down-gust slapped the craft to earth. The impact knocked the engines askew, twisted the propellers into pretzels--one blade piercing the envelope. Before the ground crew could capture the ship an up-draught bounced it away again into the gale, ballooning crazily and quite out of control. Over the flatlands near Flushing Bay Pilot Dixon signalled Mechanic John Blair to yank the ripcord which would open a 25-ft. gash in the top of the helium cell, dropping the blimp instantly. Mechanic Blair leaned from a gondola window, put his weight on the cord, fell out to his death. The Columbia collapsed in a tangle of metal and fabric. From the wreck was dragged Pilot Dixon, unhurt.

Unwanted DO-X. Soon after her arrival in the U. S. last August the giant flying boat DO-X was beached at Glenn H. Curtiss Airport, N. Y. for overhaul of her twelve engines.. There she has remained while Dornier officials tried without success to interest U. S. groups in chartering the boat for coastwise service. Last week it was announced that the DO-X will be flown back to Germany in May. Meanwhile her commander, Capt. Franz Christiansen, and all but two members of her crew sailed to Germany for a vacation.

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