THE HOLBROOK NEWS — AUGUST 11, 1911
M. Gilbert Shoots Bird That Repeatedly Swoops Down on Throbbing Machine.
Alsasqua, Spain.—Aviator Gilbert, after a battle with an eagle at a height of four thousand feet, landed here second in the Paris-Madrid race for $20,000.
In his flight over the Cantabrian mountains, while soaring at a lofty height, a monster gray eagle attacked Gilbert, swooping down on the aeroplane and beating the aviator with beak and talons.
Gilbert’s aeroplane required all his attention because of treacherous air currents over the mountains. The machine was at a height of 4,000 feet, with the country lying dim beneath. The great bird circled round and round the aeroplane, evidently thinking it a new and monster member of the bird family. Finally Gilbert managed to draw his revolver and fired two shots at the eagle, driving it off. When the aviator landed here he declared the aerial battle with the giant bird had given him the most exciting moments of his career.
At one time the eagle attacked him so fiercely, he said, that the aviator had to take his hands off the levers and momentarily lost control of the machine. It was at this time that the intrepid airman drew his revolver. The first shot went wild, but frightened the bird, and the second struck it. Gilbert regained control of his machine just in time to keep it from crashing to the ground.
From—The Holbrook News. (Holbrook, Navajo County [Ariz.]), 11 Aug. 1911. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
