“Hooray for Arthur!”: The accidental American hero France fell in love with

Arthur Schreiber’s Daredevil Stowaway Flight to Spain

Arthur Schreiber took a dare way too far on June 13, 1929.

The 22-year-old from Portland left his parents a note and then snuck aboard the French Yellow Bird aircraft at Old Orchard Beach.

Twenty minutes after takeoff, he popped out from the rear fuselage, shocking the crew who thought about tossing him into the Atlantic. Instead, they dumped whiskey and fur coats to make up for his weight.

After a 29-hour flight, they landed in Spain, and Schreiber became an instant celebrity. Crowds in Paris hoisted him on their shoulders, yelling “Hooray for Arthur!”

Today, Old Orchard Beach’s Memorial Park marks where aviation’s first transatlantic stowaway made history.

A Daring Dare Started It All

Arthur Schreiber, a regular 22-year-old guy from Portland, Maine, wrote his name in flying history because of a simple dare. In June 1929, his friends said none of them had the guts to jump on a flight across the ocean.

Arthur took that bet seriously. The day before the big flight, he went to Old Orchard Beach with some buddies to look at the planes.

After thinking it over, he left his parents a quick note saying he was “off to Europe” and went through with the dare.

The Yellow Bird Was No Ordinary Plane

French pilots Jean Assolant, Rene Lefevre, and Armand Lotti got their Bernard 191 airplane, nicknamed the “Yellow Bird,” ready for a record-breaking trip across the Atlantic. This wasn’t just any plane but one built for long trips.

The Yellow Bird had a strong 599-horsepower Hispano-Suiza engine and carried 1,150 gallons of fuel for the ocean crossing. The crew spent weeks getting the plane ready for the risky journey on June 13, 1929.

Sneaking Aboard Took Perfect Timing

Arthur waited for just the right moment that June morning in 1929.

As the crew made final checks, he crawled into the back part of the Yellow Bird minutes before takeoff. Nobody saw him slip aboard during all the buzz and noise on Old Orchard Beach.

The beach filled with people who came to watch the big flight attempt.

Arthur squeezed into a tiny space behind the main cabin, staying quiet as the pilots did their final checks.

Beach Takeoff Almost Failed

The Yellow Bird struggled to leave the ground that morning.

The plane’s tail drooped from Arthur’s hidden weight, confusing the crew who couldn’t figure out why their plane seemed so heavy. Dozens of men rushed to help, pulling the plane to the hard-packed sand runway.

The pilots needed every inch of beach to get airborne, the engines roaring as the overloaded plane barely cleared the water. People watched as the Yellow Bird fought to climb into the sky.

“Here I Am” Shocked The Pilots

Twenty minutes after takeoff, while the pilots looked at their tools over the open ocean, Arthur casually came out from his hiding spot. “Here I am,” he said, giving the French crew a huge shock.

The pilots nearly lost control of the plane. They yelled at Arthur in French while he answered in English, creating chaos thousands of feet above the Atlantic.

The crew first thought about throwing him overboard, as their careful weight plans now meant they might not reach Europe at all.

The Mid-Air Court Session Decided His Fate

The three French pilots held a quick trial in the small cockpit to decide what to do with their surprise guest. They talked fast in French while Arthur waited nervously for their choice.

After heated talk, they picked mercy over harsh punishment, partly because throwing him out wasn’t really an option.

They made Arthur sign a handwritten deal on a scrap of paper, making him promise never to make money from his trick. This odd paper, written somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, would shape the rest of Arthur’s life.

Whiskey and Fur Coats Went Overboard

The crew started throwing cargo out of the plane to make up for Arthur’s weight.

Costly bottles of whiskey, fancy fur coats, and food meant for Europe fell into the Atlantic below. Every extra pound hurt their fuel supply and chances of making it across the ocean.

Arthur watched with guilt as valuable items dropped into the waves because of his stunt. The pilots checked and rechecked their fuel use, hoping the lighter load would help them reach land safely.

Flying Across the Ocean Broke Records

The Yellow Bird stayed in the air for 29 hours and 52 minutes, covering 3,418 miles across the big Atlantic. Even with the extra person, the plane set new records for both speed and distance.

The crew used basic tools to find their way, fighting tiredness and changing weather. Arthur tried to help during the flight, passing food and water to the pilots.

The small cabin filled with engine noise and fuel smells as they flew east, all knowing they couldn’t turn back.

Spanish Beach Became Their Emergency Landing Spot

Fuel gauges showed nearly empty as the Yellow Bird neared Europe on June 14, 1929. The pilots saw the Spanish coast but knew they couldn’t reach their planned Paris stop.

They circled Oyambre Beach near Comillas, Spain, looking for a safe place to land. Local fishermen and villagers watched in wonder as the plane came down onto the sand.

The wheels touched ground after nearly 30 hours in the air, marking the end of their journey and making Arthur the world’s first person to sneak across the Atlantic.

Paris Crowds Carried Him Through Streets

News of the American stowaway spread fast across Europe. When Arthur finally got to Paris, thousands of people waited to see him.

French crowds lifted him onto their shoulders, carrying him through streets while chanting “Hooray for Arthur, hooray for America. ” Papers around the world printed his story on front pages.

Arthur signed his name and posed for photos with fans. His bold trick made him famous overnight in a time when flying heroes got treated like rock stars.

The Stowaway Kept His Promise

Arthur returned to America as a third-class passenger aboard the steamship Leviathan, honoring his mid-air promise not to cash in on his fame.

He stuck to his word and never made money from his adventure, even turning down movie deals and paid speaking opportunities.

The young man from Maine stayed friends with the French pilots for the rest of his life, exchanging letters and occasional visits.

Arthur Schreiber lived out his days with the unique distinction of being aviation history’s first transatlantic stowaway, a title no one can ever take away.

Visiting Old Orchard Beach, Maine

You can learn about Arthur Schreiber’s famous 1929 stowaway flight at Memorial Park on Old Orchard Street.

The Harmon Museum displays Yellow Bird aircraft photos and memorabilia from when the 22-year-old hid aboard the plane for its transatlantic journey to Spain.

The Old Orchard Beach Historical Society at 4 Portland Avenue has more aviation exhibits. Both museums offer summer hours and year-round tours.

Walk around town to find streets named after the Yellow Bird crew members.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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