At Dayton (Ohio) Major Schroeder has reached by aeroplane an altitude of just over 36,000 fect, or nearly seven miles, which is claimed as being some 5,000 feet higher than the previous aeroplane record, made last summer by Royland Rohlf.
At a temperature of 67 degrees below zero Major Schroeder's eyes froze shut, and in hospital he is still partially blind. Despite an electrically heated suit, his limbs were numb, and the failure of the oxygen tanks caused him to lose consciousness. He was then at the top of his climb, from which the machine fell a distance of some 5 miles in two minutes, as shown by the instruments. The air-pressure, increasing suddenly from 3lb. to 14.71b. per square inch, crushed in the gasoline tanks, but also brought the pilot to his senses, and by a sheer miracle the plans righted itself and glided safely for the last two miles of its descent, Major Schroeder landing safely in a dazed condition.
"J was thinking only of reaching 40,000 feet." he said afterwards, "when the oxygen ceased to flow, and it seemed as if a tembe ex: plosion took place in my head. My eyes hurt. and I could not open them. I guess I pulled hard on the stick, for I knew I must straighten out for a glide. I just became an automaton, and came down all right."
A Bristol machine was used. with a Liberty motor and a Moss super-charger for great heights.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.