Bremen Co-Pilot James Fitzmaurice 1928 first east to west Atlantic flight | Season 2 – Episode 50
Wings Aug 05, 2022
The Post-War Push for Aviation Records
The post-war years following WW 1, were filled by the derring-do exploits of aviators as record after record was achieved in distance, speed and endurance. The war had led to the advancement of aircraft and huge flight distances were now achievable. The world will always remember who was first to achieve a record and from which country they came from and flying the Atlantic in both directions was the ultimate goal. National prestige, fame and fortune awaited those two were equipped with the best planes and had the bravery to match.
Early Atlantic Crossings: Alcock and Brown to Lindbergh
The first non-stop transatlantic flight in June 1919 was achieved by British airmen, Capt. John Alcock (pilot) and Lt. Arthur Whitten Brown (navigator) in their Vickers-Vimy biplane. After taking off from St John’s, Newfoundland and after 16 hours of flight they crash-landed near Clifden, Co. Galway. Eight years later in 1927 the bar was set higher again by American, Charles Lindbergh, solo-flying his custom built monoplane, the Spirit of St. Louis from New York to Paris in less than 34 hours.
The Challenge of Flying West
Notwithstanding the heroic flights of Alcock & Brown and Lindbergh, most aviators of the time were in agreement that to attempt to fly west from Europe to America was technically and humanly impossible. While the US Navy had laid claim to one of their Curtiss NC-4 flying boats completing the difficult transatlantic flight, it was done so with numerous stops. The elusive non-stop westward transatlantic flight was the ultimate goal.
Why a Westward Attempt Seemed Impossible
It was believed by many at the time that there were too many factors at play that would render a westward flight impossible. Factors worthy of serious consideration were the distances involved, the prevailing winds assisted flights emanating from America and hindered those flying from Europe, navigation difficulties, lack of weather forecasting and erratic weather. It seemed to many in the 1920s that flying the Atlantic in both directions, would elude aviators for the foreseeable future.
Ireland’s Role: Baldonnel Aerodrome
As with many aviators across the globe in the ‘20s there was a lot of head scratching on how to conqueror what seemed like the last ‘big one’ and be the first to fly from Europe to America. Nations were clamouring for the prestige of being the first to fly this treacherous route and whomever did it first would bring world-wide acclaim and respect to their country. Our story now takes us to the head-quarters of the Irish Air Corps, at Baldonnel aerodrome in the western suburbs of Dublin. Baldonnel was first laid out by the British Royal Flying Corps in 1917, and by 1919 civilian flights had begun with a service to London and the first Aer Lingus (Ireland’s national carrier) took off from here in May 1936. In February 1965 Baldonnel was renamed as Casement Aerodrome in honour of Irish nationalist Roger Casement.
Fitzmaurice’s Early Life and Military Beginnings
Back in the mid-1920s the head of the Irish Aer Corps, Comdt. James Michael Fitzmaurice (1898 – 1965), was contemplating how it would be possible to fly the Atlantic from Ireland to America and bring accolades to his newly founded nation, the Irish Free State.
Growing Up and Joining the Military
Born in Mountjoy Cottages on Dublin’s North Circular Road in 1898, Fitzmaurice’s family moved from there to the town of Portlaoise in County Laois in 1902. When he was just 16 James attempted to begin his military career by enlisting in the British Army Cadet Company of the 7th Battalion of the Leinsters, but as he was underage his father took him out. By 1915 he was back in the army, this time with a Calvary unit the 17th Lancers. During the war in France, he was wounded twice, fought in the Battle of the Somme and was recommended for a field commission. Taking up his commission back in England in 1917, Fitzmaurice was posted to Reading and the School of Military Aeronautics and began flight training and was due to begin his posting as a fighter pilot in France on November 11th 1918, the day the Armistice with Germany came into effect and his posting was cancelled.
Service After the War
Although he had grown up in the town of Portlaoise, Co Laois, by the time he was serving in the RAF, James Fitzmaurice possessed a distinctly non-Irish accent, it is believed his new accent may have helped his promotion within the service.
Flying Mail and Transition to the Irish Air Service
After the war he remained in service and built up his aero experiences flying mail on nighttime flights from Folkestone to Boulogne and was demobilised in December 1919. Then came a year as an insurance salesman for the North British and Mercantile Insurance Company. By May 1921 Fitzmaurice had been recalled and was attached to 25 Squadron on a short service commission and he resigned his RAF commission in August 1921. By February 1922 Fitzmaurice had joined the Irish National Army Air Service and by 1927 found himself as Commandant of the Air Service and contemplating how he might fly over the Atlantic to America.
The All-Irish Attempt That Never Happened
Guided by nationalism, Fitzmaurice began his Atlantic attempt with the idea of an all-Irish crew and plane and approaching the Irish government with a request that they lend him the first aircraft purchased by the Air Corps, a Martinsyde Type A Mk1. Unfortunately for Fitzmaurice the government rebuffed his request as they could not risk their valuable aircraft. Interestingly this aircraft had another role in the Anglo-Irish talks held in London in 1921 as it was on secret stand-by to bring the negotiation team home if the talks collapsed.
The Princess Xenia Attempt
With financial backing from American millionaires William Bateman Leeds and Wilfred Heyman, who provided a trimotor Fokker F.Vlla monoplane, named the Princess Xenia, James Fitzmaurice teamed up with pilot Captain Robert McIntosh and navigator Captain Joynson-Wreford for the transatlantic attempt. At 1:30pm on September 16th 1927 McIntosh and Fitzmaurice took off from Baldonnell (Captain Joynson-Wreford the navigator for the attempt had to withdraw at the last moment due to the recurrence of an old war injury) and headed west towards America. Their meteorological reports told them that the first 200 miles of their journey would be through poor weather with clear skies predicted thereafter. However, after five and a half-hours of flight time and only reaching a distance of 300 miles from the coast of County Galway and with almost non-existent visibility the experienced flight crew turned back and safely landed their plane at Beale Strand, County Kerry.
A Second Chance: The German Partnership
Down but not out, Fitzmaurice redoubled his efforts to find a suitable crew to team up with and by 1928 two Germans had reached out to ask him to join their own transatlantic attempt. Decorated First World War bomber pilot, Captain Hermann Koehl (1888–1938), and his aristocratic financier, co-pilot and navigator Baron Ehrenfried Günther Freiherr von Hünefeld (1892–1929), had begun their own transatlantic attempt departing from Germany in 1927 and were lucky to escape with their lives due to bad weather over the sea. Responding to this near-fatal attempt, the German government, in 1927 banned long-distance flights departing from that country and so the two aviators decided to make their next attempt by departing from Ireland.
The Aircraft: Junkers W 33 Bremen
Their chosen plane was a German Junkers W 33, fuselage number D-1167 named ‘Bremen’ and belonging von Hünefeld. The W 33 was a single engine 3-seat utility aircraft built by the German manufacturer Junkers Flugzeugwerk AG.
Arrival in Ireland and Delayed Departure
Köhl and Hünefeld took off from Germany and landed at Baldonnell on March 26th 1928 to pick up Captain Fitzmaurice and continue on their transatlantic attempt. However bad weather held them in Ireland, and it was not until 17 days later on April 12th that they were able to take off and fly west.
Fuel Over Comfort
Fuel, fuel and more fuel is the priority on a transatlantic attempt, even if the plane was to be overloaded. It was accepted that crew comfort would be kept to a minimum and it is said that in order to shave weight that could be taken up by vital fuel that the crew had peeled their oranges in advance of the flight, however Fitzmaurice found the room for an Irish tricolour and a letter of greeting from the President of Ireland W. T. Cosgrave to the American President Calvin Coolidge.
The Flight Westward
With Koehl and Fitzmaurice in his Irish army uniform alternating on the controls, and aiming to maintain an altitude of 1,500 feet (460 m) and an airspeed of 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph) they headed westwards, aiming for Mitchel Field, Long Island, New York.
Their flight log records their epic journey:
12 Apr, 05:09 GMT: Started engine of the Bremen at Baldonnel Aerodrome.
12 Apr, 05:38 GMT: Lifted off from Baldonnel Airport and headed west.
12 Apr, 07:05 GMT: Passed the Slyne Head Lighthouse in County Galway
12 Apr, 09:00 GMT: Crew meal – hot bouillon and sandwiches.
12 Apr, 13:45 GMT: Bremen crossed the 30th meridian west. Surface speed was down to 90 knots (170 km/h; 100 mph).
12 Apr, 16:00 GMT: Bremen climbed to 610 m (2,000 ft).
12 Apr, 21:00 GMT: Crew made their last drift calculation before the sun disappeared and climbed to 6,000 feet (1,800 m).
13 Apr, 06:50 GMT: Crew saw Polaris again. Fitzmaurice estimated the magnetic compass was in error by 40 degrees. Köhl immediately turned south westerly to follow the east coast of North America towards Mitchel Field on New York’s Long Island.
13 Apr, 14:00 GMT: The Bremen passed over the lakes at the source of the George.
13 Apr, 15:00 GMT: The Bremen had crossed back into Labrador, and was seen flying over North West River on the shore of Lake Melville.
13 April: At about 17:50 GMT, now flying southwards and with about two hours of fuel remaining the crew spotted a lighthouse on Greenly Island, off the coast of Quebec on the St. Lawrence River and landed there.
Landing on Greenly Island
Köhl made a “perfect three-point landing” on a small ice-covered, water reservoir built for the lighthouse. Just as the Bremen came to a stop, it broke through the ice. The tail then projected about 20 ft (6 m) into the air and there was minor damage to the aircraft. The crew were wet through, but they were safe and had made it!
The Achievement: First East-to-West Crossing
After an epic 37-hour flight, filled with bad weather, compass problems driving them hundreds of miles off course to the north, they had succeed in crossing the Atlantic and although they did not reach their original destination of New York they were the first to cross the Atlantic from Europe.
A Hero’s Welcome in America
When the Bremen crew of Fitzmaurice, Hünefeld and Köhl reached New York they were given a tumultuous welcome (some say it was bigger than that given to Charles Lindenburgh) and it is estimated that over 2-million people and 10,000 troops lined the parade route. The celebrations continued as the crew toured several cities in USA and Canada and were honoured wherever they went.
Honours and Recognition
They were feted by American and Canadian society, Henry Ford entertained them, they signed a book deal with a publisher (Three Musketeers of the Air: Their Conquest of the Atlantic from East to West) and on May 2, 1928 the Congress of the United States passed a special act of to present Fitzmaurice, Hünefeld and Köhl with the Distinguished Flying Cross, making them the first non-Americans to receive the honour.
Homecoming and Irish Honours
Once back in Europe the welcoming crowds were even bigger. And accolades and honours were presented including the Freedom of the City of Dublin at a state reception on June 30th 1928.
Legacy for Ireland
For James Fitzmaurice (promoted to Colonel on his return) it was mission accomplished for the glory of Ireland and the Irish Free State then struggling to win recognition as a nation.
Where the Bremen Is Today
The Bremen Junkers W 33 went on display in 1929 for a time in New York’s Grand Central Terminal and is now on permanent display at Bremen Airport in Germany.
Later Life and Final Honours
James Fitzmaurice resigned from the Aer Corps in February 1929 and during much of the 1930s lived in New York. After some time in London, he returned to Ireland after the war. One final honor was bestowed on him, when on June 1st, 1955, he boarded the inaugural Lufthansa flight between Shannon airport, Co Limerick and New York. James Michael Fitzmaurice died in Dublin on September 26th 1965 and was given a State funeral with full military honours.
Commemorations and Lasting Memory
His legacy continues with streets named in his honour in Germany, a stamp by An Post, a movie, the Fitzmaurice Flying School at Baldonnel and a bronze bust of in the foyer of Portlaoise County Hall. In October 2018 a series of commemorative events including a wreath laying and a joint Irish-German flyover were held in Portlaoise, Co Laois to mark the 90th anniversary of Fitzmaurice’s transatlantic flight.
