Martin Antonenko
A Fixture
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2008
- Messages
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No plane has ever flown higher!
On February 27, 1920, for the first time ever, a pilot managed to climb an airplane to an altitude of 10,000!
The pilot is the US-American Major of Irish-German descent Rudolph William Schroeder, who is generally just called "Shorty" because of his height of 1.93 m...:
As early as September 18, 1918, he had set his first world altitude record for powered aircraft at 8800 m in an airplane produced by the Bristol Aircraft Company and three more the following year.
In 1920, the German BMW test pilot Franz Zeno Diemer...
... is the one who managed to climb the highest in an airplane: Diemer had reached 9,760 m with his BMW-powered F37/III airplane of the "Deutsche Flugzeugwerke" on June 17, 1919...:
Schroeder is determined to break this record and starts with a LePère LUSAC-11 double-decker from Packard Motor Car Company...
...to another record attempt:
After an hour and 47 minutes of climb, Schroeder managed to bring his plane to 10,093 m.
And then he almost pays for his successful record hunt with his life!
When he takes off his goggles to change the oxygen tank, Schroeder's eyes freeze!
Without breathing oxygen, he soon falls unconscious in the thin air.
Two minutes later, only 600 meters above the ground, he regains consciousness and, although almost blind, is able to intercept the plane and land safely.
He is awarded the "Distinguished Flying Cross" for his achievement...:
Although he never fully regained his sight afterwards, Schoeder worked first as a test pilot and then as a design manager at "Curtiss Wright" and in senior management at major US airlines such as "United Airlines".
He dies on December 29, 1952.
On February 27, 1920, for the first time ever, a pilot managed to climb an airplane to an altitude of 10,000!
The pilot is the US-American Major of Irish-German descent Rudolph William Schroeder, who is generally just called "Shorty" because of his height of 1.93 m...:
As early as September 18, 1918, he had set his first world altitude record for powered aircraft at 8800 m in an airplane produced by the Bristol Aircraft Company and three more the following year.
In 1920, the German BMW test pilot Franz Zeno Diemer...
... is the one who managed to climb the highest in an airplane: Diemer had reached 9,760 m with his BMW-powered F37/III airplane of the "Deutsche Flugzeugwerke" on June 17, 1919...:
Schroeder is determined to break this record and starts with a LePère LUSAC-11 double-decker from Packard Motor Car Company...
...to another record attempt:
After an hour and 47 minutes of climb, Schroeder managed to bring his plane to 10,093 m.
And then he almost pays for his successful record hunt with his life!
When he takes off his goggles to change the oxygen tank, Schroeder's eyes freeze!
Without breathing oxygen, he soon falls unconscious in the thin air.
Two minutes later, only 600 meters above the ground, he regains consciousness and, although almost blind, is able to intercept the plane and land safely.
He is awarded the "Distinguished Flying Cross" for his achievement...:
Although he never fully regained his sight afterwards, Schoeder worked first as a test pilot and then as a design manager at "Curtiss Wright" and in senior management at major US airlines such as "United Airlines".
He dies on December 29, 1952.
