July 16th
July 16th
Daily Flight Information:
Departed: Paris, France
Arrived: London, England
Miles Flown: 215
Flight Time: 3 hrs. 7 mins.
(11:00 a.m. to 2:07 p.m.)
Total Miles Flown: 16,200
Total Flight Time: 224 hrs. 43 min.
Paris to London Hop
Daily Report
by Lt. L. P. Arnold, "Chicago", Mechanic
About 10 we arrived at the field and at 11 took off for London -- two air liners loaded with passengers took off at the same time so we all flew over together. A squadron of French planes escorted us out away & at one time there were 12 planes in our group.
Clouds came in at about 3000 feet & we rose to about 7000 feet where we were above them -- and very cold. The ground could be seen most of the time through holes in the clouds & no trouble was encountered in checking out position or in crossing the channel.
At one, we reached Croyden & a few minutes later were on the ground -- and besieged with a crowd of photographers, reporters, and autograph hunters. Finally the "bobbies" joined hands & made a ring around us & thus we were escorted to the mess. Among the people that were there to meet us was Mrs. Maclaren, wife of the British Round-the-World Flyer.
After lunch we came back & serviced the planes & then went to the RAF club in London where we stayed. In the evening we had a very nice dinner as the guest of the Air Ministry officials.
Daily Report
by Lt. L. H. Smith, Commanding
At 11 a.m. this morning, the flight took off for London, following one of the commercial airways to the field at Croyden. On our departure, we were escorted by several French military planes and the entire distance by one of the large passenger carrying air liners and a commercial photographic plane. The route followed was a direct compass course to Boulogne; then by compass course across the channel to Folkestone, England; from there direct to Croyden Airdrome near London, where the planes landed at 2:07. At Croyden, we were met by Major Howard C. Davidson, the American Air Attaché; Commander Towers, the Naval Air Attaché; representatives from the Royal Air Force and other branches of the British Government. A large crowd of enthusiastic English people were there to greet us, among them were a great number of American tourists. After the official reception on the field, the planes were refueled and preparations made to continue to Brough, England, tomorrow. In the evening, we were guests of honor at a dinner given by the Royal Air Force.