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Archiver > GRIERSON > 2005-01 > 1104777497


From: "Alan-MacGregor Grierson" <>
Subject: (Captain) [Andre] Girier to Russi and back dated 1926
Date: Mon, 3 Jan 2005 13:38:18 -0500


Sources: (1) Oshkosh Daily Northwestern (Oshkosh, Wisconsin) dated August 21st, 1926:

WELCOME BY RUSSIANS - What struck (Captain) [Andre] Girier most on his record non-stop straight line flight (Paris - Omsk, over 2,937 miles in 29 hours) was the welcome the Russians gave him. As neither he nor his companion, (Lieutenant) Dordilly, speak Russian, all they could say on Landing was "Franzouski" (French). At once those who were nearest hurried through the town and quickly rounded up its six [6] inhabitants able to speak French.

The aviators brought back some caviar from Moscow, probably the freshest caviar ever eaten in Paris, as it was newly made and travelled 1,625 miles in 14 hours, 35 minutes.

"Yes," said the (Captain), "the caviar was dear. So was living in general. We had to pay no less than three-hundred [300] francs each for a bedroom in Moscow, where the simplest attache of the embassy has to pay 15.000 francs a month rent.

"A transatlantic flight is perfectly possible, and with existing planes. It is no longer anything but a question of fuel carrying and getting off the ground at the start. This, in fact, is the delicate point in these long distance flights."




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