Name Eduardo Newbery | Siblings Jorge Newbery | |
Died 1908, Rio de la Plata, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil | ||
Eduardo Federico Newbery (Buenos Aires, February 17, 1878– Río de la Plata, October 17, 1908) was an Argentine odontologist and aerostat pilot.
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Family life
Eduardo Newbery was of American descent. His father Ralph Lamartine Newbery, emigrated from Long Island, New York, and settled in Argentina after the American Civil War (in which, supposedly, he took part at the Battle of Gettysburg). Eduardo was one of aviation pioneer Jorge Newbery's siblings (the other's were Ernesto Purcell, Elena Rosa, Rodolfo León and María de los Dolores (twins), Elvira Teresa, Emma Catalina, Carlos Alfredo, Luis Alfredo, Juan Alberto Martín and Ana Eva).
Eduardo Newbery took several flights across Argentina. He was admired by many becoming a celebrity in his own time. Newbery's mother disapproved of his passion, always fearing the worst. His brother Jorge, however, was arguably his number one fan, and felt great respect and admiration for Eduardo.
Disappearance
On October 17, 1908, Eduardo Newbery took off in the aerostat "Pampero" along with Argentine Army Corporal Eduardo Romero (who happened to accept a last minute invitation by Newbery). The flight would take them northbound from Buenos Aires in an attempt to achieve a night-flying record. Neither the aerostat nor its pilot or companion were ever found. Eduardo Newbery and Eduardo Romero were the first Argentines ever to perish in an aircraft accident.
Aftermath
In 1916, the Aero Club Argentino named a second aerostat in honor of Eduardo Newbery. That balloon would become the first ever to cross the Andean mountains at an altitude of 8.100 meters with Eduardo Bradley being its pilot. Bradley also manned the aircraft on several air competitions in Argentina establishing new records of distance, endurance and altitude.