Donati, Caproni & Stella

Good names in Italian aviation are Donati, Caproni and Stella. Renato Donati is a War flyer who has been breaking altitude records for light planes since 1927. Caproni is one of the most important builders of Italian military aircraft. Stella is a type of engine. One day last week at Montecelio Airfield outside Rome smiling young Pilot Donati stuffed himself into a gutta percha flying suit, crammed his feet into oiled boots, strapped an oxygen mask to his face. Then he gunned the Stella engine of his Caproni biplane, shot into the sky, and climbed, climbed, climbed. Stella's customary limit was 24,600 ft. but she had been specially primed for this flight. Up, up she pulled the Caproni and Donati, into thin air and a temperature of --68DEG F; eight miles, 8 1/2 miles, just 180 ft. short of nine. Then Pilot Donati pointed to earth, came down so fast he fainted when his wheels touched the field. His altitude mark was 2,521 ft. higher than the world record held by France. Thus Donati, Caproni & Stella gave Italy top honors in plane altitude, to add to her top honors in speed (423.8 m. p. h.).

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