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Show Aviation In 1929 Several remarkable new records, and a number of scientific advances marked the progress of aviation in 1929. Endurance flights with re fueling in the air were mong the most spectacular performances of the year, culminating in the record of the "St. Louis Robin" flying 420 hours and 21 minutes, or more than 17 days and nights befort. landing. Willie Neunhofer of Germany set the world's altitude record at 42,123 feet. Mrs. Phoebe Omlie of Memphis Mem-phis established an unofficial altitude alti-tude record for women of 25,400 feet. Miss Elinor Smith set the world's solo endurance record for women by flying 26 hours and 20 minutes. Capt. Orlebar of England set a new speed record of 368 miles an hour. A flight around the world by dirigible dir-igible was made for the first time with only three stops enroute, by the "Graf Zeppelin," commanded by Capt. Hugo Eckener of Germany. A German seaplane, the "Do-X" carried 169 passengers in a flight over Lake Constance. Successful test flights were madi by two British dirigibles, now the largest in the world, but these will be exceeded in size by an American Ameri-can airship now under construction construc-tion at Akron, O. An airplane propelled by rockets was successfully flown in Germany; Lieut. Doolittle of the United Stales Sta-les Navy made a flight and a safe landing "blind," depending entirely entire-ly utxn instruments; a radio beacon bea-con war; used to guide a pilot flying t.lind in a f-;g; Commander Byrd new over the South Pole and was ma-le a rear-admiral for his feat. s The year also had its share of dis- ! a ,(ei-;, but on the whole an advance ' in t.h- direction of safety was re- j eorded. |