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In a replica of a World War I-era open-cockpit biplane called the Silver Queen, Three adventures retrace the first air route from Cairo to Cape Town.
Published by NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
May 2000
{ June 24, Cairo, Egypt }
At 500 FEET above a white-capped English Channel, rain danced on the wings and stung our faces. Our craft heaved in the low clouds and buffeting winds.
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The U.K.'s Manston Radar advised,
"Mike Yankee [our call sign], you are now leaving our area." Then the English voice came again,
"Mike Yankee, I understand you are the Vickers Vimy. Is that correct?"
"Affirmative. We are en route to Cape Town."
"Brilliant!" The radio crackled with emotion rarely heard from air-traffic controllers.
"Best of luck, and Godspeed!"
As we fly over Egypt three weeks later, that cherry send-off echoes in my head, but "Godspeed" seems unlikely. Cruising at 75 miles an hour, it has taken more than 400 hours of flying to reach Africa. Wind keens in 112 bracing wires,
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