Vimy stops in Oshkosh

Bethany K. Warner, of The Northwestern

Traffic on U.S. Highway 41 early Tuesday afternoon could have easily kept pace with the Vickers Vimy as it flew over the freeway.

Lumbering along between 65 and 75 mph, the hulking vintage bomber biplane made one low pass over the Experimental Aircraft Association before landing at Pioneer Airport for a stopover as the plane heads to Newfoundland to recreate the first transatlantic flight made in 1919.

The recreated flight is the next adventure for billionaire aviator Steve Fossett who, earlier this year, circumnavigated the globe without refueling in the Global Flyer. Fossett was not along for the leg of the trip from Salina, Kan., to Oshkosh.

The Vimy is expected to leave Oshkosh this morning for Toronto, Canada, and then onto St. John's, Newfoundland. From Newfoundland, the Vimy will leave to make the 16-hour jaunt over the Atlantic to Ireland.

"We know we'll be ready," said navigator Mark Rebholz. "When the good day comes, we'll go."

The original Vimy made the first transatlantic flight in 1919, eight years before Charles Lindbergh made the solo trek from New York to Paris in 1927. John Alcock and Arthur Brown made the flight in 16 hours and 28 minutes from Newfoundland to Ireland, but landed in a bog, causing the original to tip onto its nose and suffer damage. That plane was restored and is now displayed at the Science Museum in London.

The original flight had a strong tailwind but bad weather; Rebholz said he and Fossett will go with good weather and not so much tailwind.
This Vimy has already experienced problems with weather. After leaving Novato, Calif., Thursday, the plane had to stop again in Concord,

Calif., because of bad weather. From Concord, the plane flew to Lake Havasu, Ariz., and from there to Salina, Kan. on Sunday.

Flying the Vimy is challenging, Rebholz said. With a 68-foot wingspan and a 16-foot high wing, the biplane is almost the size of a B-25 bomber. The replica has brakes, but the original did not and Rebholz said he tries not to use them.

"I have to think ahead more with this airplane," Rebholz said.

On the recreation of the Atlantic crossing, Fossett will be the primary pilot and Rebholz will navigate with historic equipment, using a drift meter and a nautical sextant.

"I'd like to draw attention to that and practice it myself," Rebholz said.

The Vimy is expected to make the transatlantic attempt some time between June 7 and June 20.

Bethany K. Warner: 426-6668 or a href="mailto:bwarner@thenorthwestern.com"›bwarner @thenorthwestern.com