The tragic end of Jorge Newbery, “Monsieur Courage”: the dream of crossing the Andes by plane and an unrealized cabal

This man with a frank and wide smile, in an impeccable suit, sitting on a step in the port of Buenos Aires, joking with a group of boys while waiting for their luggage, was not just any man. At that time, 1914, he was a real popular idolwho had built his image away from politics and hand in hand with the practice of all kinds of sports and madness, such as aviation.

He was called Jorge Newberry.

In mid-January of that same year, he had returned from a trip to Europe, where he had brought back two engines and propellers for his Morane Saulnier plane, bought with the help of his friends from the Jockey Club. This machine, with a light fuselage, green wings and a red-painted engine cover, he will use it to accomplish the feat of crossing the Andes mountain range.

He had proposed to cross the imposing massif by one of the highest zones, at the height of Mendoza. He felt confident because on February 10, with this machine, which had an 80 hp French Le Rhône rotary engine, he had reached 6,250 meters in the sky of El Palomar. Not having exceeded by 150 meters the record held by a French pilot, this achievement was not recognized. However, he was satisfied with the height reached.

He was born in Buenos Aires on May 27, 1875. In the United States he had studied electrical engineering and had been a student in Thomas Alva Edison. In 1897, he entered the navy and by verifying that many sailors could not swim, he became a swimming teacher.

He left the Navy in 1900 to assume the position of General Manager of Electrical, Mechanical and Lighting Installations of the Municipality of Buenos Aires, a position he held until his death.

He was also a teacher at the Technical School which would become Otto Krause, and was a fervent follower of boxing, fencing, car racing, rowing, disciplines in which he won numerous tournaments and competitions. .

In November 1908, at the age of 33, he married Sara Escalante19. They had a son, Jorge Wenceslaschild death.

It was called a jock, which was no stranger to the birth of aviation. next to the breeder Aaron of Anchorena accomplished the feat of crossing the Río de la Plata in a balloon, in December 1907. His own brother Edward he will disappear on a flight in October of the following year. His father Ralpha New York dentist who had settled in Argentina in 1872, and had a practice on Florida Street, died of pneumonia in Tierra del Fuego in 1906.

He broke the South American balloon height record and in 1910 obtained his pilot’s license. However, he urged those who wanted to fly to do so in these gigantic balloons first. In three years, he made 40 ascents.

Each of his achievements, which motivated him to call himself “mister courage”were celebrated by a people who eagerly followed their every step.

I had long had in mind the crossing of the Andes.. On February 22, he traveled to Mendoza with his friend, the pilot Benjamin Jimenez Lastra. In this province they were united Theodoro Felswho had participated in the inauguration celebrations of the monument to the Army of the Andes on February 12.

Con Jimenez Lastra there fels they scoured the area, studying it and assessing the dangers, the weather, especially the updrafts and downdrafts. These planes lacked the instruments that would be incorporated years later, making the trip much more risky.

Newbery decided to take the flight following the Uspallata Valley. It offered places where a forced landing could be made, in case of an emergency. Proximity to the railway gave him some peace of mind, through which help could be given.

On Saturday evening February 28, 1914, he attended a performance at the Teatro Nuevo, where he received a standing ovation. The next day he was having lunch at the governor’s farm Rufino Ortegabelonging to an influential family from Mendoza.

This Sunday afternoon, March 1, they would take the train to Buenos Aires. The plan was to get back to the plane and make the trip. By staying at the Grand Hotel, some well-known families insisted that he make a small exhibition for them.

Jimenez Lastra said it was impossible because Newbery I didn’t have a plane. This one asked fels to find out from his mechanic if he had already dismantled his.

As the mechanic had not yet done so, Newbery He eventually agreed and they left for Los Tamarindos, on the outskirts of town. This was the point where he planned to start crossing the mountain range.

It would be the first time he wouldn’t bow to his cabal: he always flew with a portrait of his mother Dolores Malargie, “Lola”. Since he hadn’t planned to fly to Mendoza, he had left the photo on the plane in Buenos Aires.

recently an advertisement for 43 cigarettes had driven him crazy. In a poster he titled “The Five Weapons. The Fourth Aviation”, on the fuselage of an airplane appeared the names of Manuel Felix Origone, Lorenzo Euzebione, Jose Maria Perez Arzenohe, fels there Macias. The fact is that the first three had died in plane crashes between January and April 1913. He sent a letter asking that this advertisement be removed, which was nothing more than a fatal omen. The company did.

He rode his homie’s Morane fels and guest Jimenez Lastra to accompany him Fels wanted to try it before because he warned him he was throwing the left wing. She refused.

One of the women who had asked him to fly brought him a medallion of the Virgin of Lourdes.

The mechanic started the propeller and in a few moments the machine took off. Right away Newbery he noticed that the aircraft banked to his left and that he did so sharply. They started to climb and reached 500 meters in height. The machine continued to tilt and it was impossible to perform stunts. Checking that he could not stabilize the aircraft, Newbery shout “Wait Titus!” and they rushed to the ground, under the astonished gaze of those who witnessed the flight. It was 6:40 p.m.

When fels came with the engineer Babaci, Newbery he was lying dead, between twisted irons, leaning on one of the wings. for bearing Jimenez Lastra he had been fired and complained of pain. He had a fractured left arm and a dislocated wrist, as well as superficial injuries. Both were transferred to Public Assistance.

On the afternoon of the 2nd, his remains were transported to Buenos Aires, where they arrived the next day at 8:45 a.m. The funeral was fit for a head of state. They were veiled in the Pabellón de las Rosas, near the premises of the Sociedad Sportiva de Palermo, from where in 1907 he had started with Aaron of Anchorena in a balloon and crossed the Río de la Plata with the Pampero.

The wake was massive and the personnel of the aeronautical department of Palomar took part in the burial and the procession was led by the machine with which the deceased planned to cross the Andes, followed by the planes of the military aviation school, which he had helped found . When the coffin was taken out to take them to the cemetery, a thousand doves were released.

On the 4th, his body, embalmed, was buried in the family vault. Fernandez at Recoleta Cemetery. In 1937, his mausoleum was inaugurated in La Chacarita.

There were a few months left before turning 39 for this man whose motivation was the next challenge.

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