European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 29, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse Double Eagle la s Crew readies to land it France ending the first successful transatlantic balloon flight. The photo was taken from a hovering chopper. How it was up there by Marcus Eija son associated press hey took off from a Clover Field in Maine and their borne became a cramped red and yellow Gondola dangling below an 11-Story balloon like the Point on exclamation Mark. Nearly six Day Slater they landed in a Barley Field in France. What was it really be the first transatlantic balloon flight people never cease to ask. And the three Baboon its eem at a loss to put it in words. But from interviews Ndrews conferences a picture begins to emerge. Uny Newman be Abma made Ante i w truck. Monday As they coasted along at 15 to 17 knots the began to run into trouble. One by one instruments failed. First the Long Range radio then the Gadget to give their location then the one that beeped out their position to others. Finally a transmitter conked out and they de Pended on a simple Ham radio to stay in touch with first real crisis came tuesday night in mid at lactic. When ice chunks like big Popcorn balls encrusted the lop of the balloon. Losing height rapidly they jettisoned valuable ballast which Anderson said was Uke pouring fuel out of a tank. " when they had dropped to 4,000 feet the ice melted. Then came storms. The storm gets All around you and you hew the seas roaring said an Derson and you know if you go Down you re in to pass time they exercised and played and Anderson experienced balloon its. Alternated three hour watches. Newman grew despondent a Dabruzzo told jokes to cheer him up. Life was unbearably cramped in the by foot Gondo la. They had to move everything to find a pair of socks. It was one said. Uke living in a closet with All the space inthe world above and below and utterly useless to them they relieved themselves in portable camping toilets or Over the Side. Newman suffered from dysentery. Sleeping was difficult and they never got More than four noun a night. When they had to sleep in oxygen masks it was worse because of the fear that the machines might foil. Sometimes during the Day they would rather not have slept. You stand on the Balcony and watch the world go by Bete. It s such a magnificent sight that you Don t want to Steep and you have to Force yourself Sai Danderson. At 11 wednesday authorities told them they were Over Ireland. They whooped with Joy and resolved to carry on to Paris where Charles Lindbergh had landed i years earlier on the first Solo transatlantic air plane night. Then they were Over the French town of be Havre i Europe. But the ballast was running out. They began to Jettison everything not essential failed equipment clothing the hang glider newmen had brought in Hopes of coasting to land if All else failed. They kept the Champagne they planned to open if the made it. Over the town of Devreux they knew they could not Goon. The last of the ballast was gone. They were 65 Miles West of Paris. F below thousands of frenchmen waited with a riotous Welcome. The balloon a robust helium packed Titan at Takeoff was a swiftly draining car Cass As the Gondola settled gently to Earth. It was 7.50 . Aug. 7, and the Dusky sky in which for Days they had been on insignificant Dot was a Smilin Blue. They had made it tuesday August 29, 1978 the stars and stripes Page 13
