July 12th
July 12th
Daily Flight Information:
Departed: Constantinople, Turkey
Arrived: Bucharest, Romania
Miles Flown: 350
Flight Time: 4 hrs. 40 mins.
(6:55 a.m. to 11:35 a.m.)
Total Miles Flown: 15,985
Total Flight Time: 212 hrs. 46 min.
Fliers Arrive Bucharest
Daily Report
by Lt. L. P. Arnold, "Chicago", Mechanic
Arrived at the field at 6:30 a.m. & took off at 7:45. We arrived at Bucharest at noon absolutely unexpected. Col. Foy appeared after a while & others soon after.
We landed on airdrome of Franco Romain Aerial Co. & were given the use of their hangars, shops, mechanics, and other facilities -- from all appearances they have an excellent organization.
The trip today was quite cool & everyone felt it -- we passed over some of the battlefields where the Turks performed some ten years ago, trenches, many shelled villages & blown up bridges still in evidence. For awhile it looked as though we might have mean weather conditions, but after crossing the mountains & rain, the weather was clear.
Work on the planes was finished about 4 & all went to town having dinner with Col. Foy, Col. Butler, and Mr. & Mrs. Riggs. While at dinner the Chief of the Romanian Air Service came in & offered apologies about not knowing we were coming.
Bucharest is a clean & snappy looking place, has numerous cafes & cabarets.
Daily Report
by Lt. L. H. Smith, Commanding
At 6:55 a.m. this morning, the flight left for Bucharest, this being the first leg of the 5th Division. From the Constantinople field at San Stefano, the route followed was direct to Edirne, Bulgaria; then a northern course, passing over Jambol, Bulgaria; Rasgrad, Bulgaria, and from there, direct to the landing field at Bucharest, landing at 11:35. The first part of this flight was over fairly good country, through rain and haze until after passing the mountain range near the city of Kotel. Very few landing places were available through the mountains. However, the majority of the route furnishing emergency landing fields. The field at Bucharest was a good one and is the eastern terminal for the Franco-Romanian Aerial Transportation Company. They have good equipment and seem to be operating quite successfully. The landing there was an entire surprise as no one in the city had heard that the flight had even reached Constantinople. Colonel Foy, the Ambassador, and the flight's local agent were reached by telephone, after which no special difficulties were encountered.