Baskets of flowers were handed to the airmen when the plane had taxied to standstill, and the crowd rushed to the door of the plane, being forced buck by the police, Light rain began to fall just after the flyers arrived.
The airmen's wives had a desperate time trying to force their way through the crowd, which went completely "berserk," forcing the police to use their truncheons as the hundreds of to. atte: real pin. GALE. Sundan) world record established by the late Wiley Post. I was simply intent on a scientific experience to test my new apparatus. Now we know that this apparatus is good," the American sportsman and movie producer con tinued in his special interview with Havas.
"During the flight, I even succeeded in making a map of the north coast of Siberia. The maps we have, of this region, are false. They show mountains of about 6,500 feet where there are heights of more than 10,000 feet, covered with snow, Luckily, when we made our dash from Yakutsk to Fairbanks we had the light of the sun to guide us."
Hughes added to the Havas correspondent that he had decided to des vote his time from now on to study and develop the possibilities aviation, Tribute to Wiley Post "wiley Post's flight round the world is a unique achievement in the history of aviation, and never will anyone equal it," Hughes said in tribute to the airman who lost his life in Alaska in 1935 during a flight with Will Rogers, America's beloved cowboy-humeris Concluding the interview, Hughes declared, "I appreciated particularly the ce-operation extended to us by the French and Russian authorities, who aided us greatly in bringing to Successful conclusion our enterprise."
In a later interview with all Press correspondents, the millionaire aviation expert, Our flight proved to us that 1 navigation by the stars and by can be false. Neither gives thè" complete data necessary, The radio is useful sometimes, and then at other times one can get nothing at all on it.
We used three methods of navigation; by landmarks; by the sun and stars when flying above clouds; and by radio contacts with stations giving us position," he revealed. welcomers surged across the rails.
Wheel Damaged The police hastily re-erected the fence.
Commenting on the _eight-hours' stop forced upon them in Paris be-Finally, Mr, Hughes was whisked cause of damage to the "New York off in a car to one of the hangars, World Fair 1939," their plane, Hughes escorted by police on motor-cycles. said the delay was caused by repairs Interviewed by Reuters correspon-made necessary because in taking off dent, Mr. Hughes commented; at New York, the craft had hit a We "received grand treatment bump and part of the plane's rear everywhere, wheel had been damaged. Mechanics "However, we are glad to be home. at Lo Bourget, Paris, with the aid "We flew over wild, desolate of Ed Lund, the mechanic flying with places, although we did not encounter Hughes, carried out the repairs, any extreme discomfort."
"This was the only delay we suffered on our flight," Hughes declared. "Never"
Dealing with the actual voyage, he said the most difficult lap of the When asked by Reuters correspon-whole flight was that between Paris dent whether they would try a round-and Moscow. The route we chose the-world flight again, all smilingly after Moscow was the best, however. replied:—But it is a pity. that route cannot "Never." be used all the year round, because The gasoline tanks contain 1,750 winter it is closed' to planes." gallons, and the plane consumes 72 Before granting this Press inter-Sallons hourly. view, Hughes spoke over a wide radio It has a range of 4,700 miles, and hookup, making a broadcast from the Floyd-Bennett airport right after he cost _U.S.$200,000. stepped out from his triumphant air-Among the more important items plane. of equipment are the Hamilton am very happy that we succeed-standard hydromatic propellers, with ed in our ight, but Į would not like variable pitch; a Speary gyroscope; to start it over again. I want to two radios, and also a voice broad-bathe, rest and eat now," he said to casting radio apparatus; two rubber millions of radio listeners rafts, each accommodating five men, Need of Baths in addition to parachutes; a ration He and his companions appeared pack sufficient for thirty days; oxy-in need of baths, rest and food, top. gen tanks; and a hypersensitive al-They all wore three-day beards, and timoter, which Mr. Hughes obtained still had on the same clothes they with the special permission of the had worn when they left New York United States Army.—Reuter, on the ambitious voyage. They also seemed very tired, but all smiled cheerfully with the realization that they had accomplished what they had All Feared Killed in set out to do.
Dick Merril, American ace flier, commenting on these airmen's
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.