Marvellous Somersault in the Air.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 21 August 1914, Page 2

Marvellous Somersault in the Air.

An occurrence which seems incredible, but which is vouched for by three prominent French officers. This is nothing more than a somersault in the air which befell Capt. Aubry, when flying a Deperdussin for the purpose of effecting a reconnaissance over the region of Villerupt. "1 was returning after a :-J5-mi- j nute flight," the Captain assures us, j "facing- a wind of about twenty- | two miles per hour. My altitude ; was about 2,500 feet. At the moment of descent a series of violent gusts struck the machine, and on j throttling down and switching off, ij was obliged to dive in order to ; make the controls effective. As I ■ dipped the nose of the machine, a ; couple of quick successivqjjusts struck the top of the main planes and I placed me in a vertical position. j While endeavouring to manipulate the elevator, I found the machine had j taken me in a perfectly vertical chute to less than 1,500 feet. It here adopted a horizontal attitude upside down and proceeded to effect a tail-first vol plane." Somehow the pilot retained his seat. Continuing, lie says, " The machine then gradually took up the vertical position again, describing a gigantic 'vS ' while doing so. Flattening out, I flew to a spot about two ! miles distant."