New Britain herald., 1918-07-16
AVIATORS EAGER TO
FLY OVER OCEAN
O Already Volunteer to Pilot
First Air Fleet Across

AIineola, L. l., July 16.-Forty
American aviators of the First Provi-
sional Wings unit at the army aviation
field here, rated as the best trained
pilots in service on this side, presented
t5day to their commanding officer u
petition requesting that they be select
ed to fly the first fleet of American
built f,anroni or Handley-Page bomb
ing machines across the Atlantic under
the plans proposed by the makers OF
b2th types of airplanes. These are the
same men who thrilled the city by
their sl1illful flights in battle forma-
ton on July 4 and Bastile Day and
who have been enacting sham battles
at many places.
In addressing the aviators upon
their proposal, Major C. K. Rhine
hardt, commanding officer of the
aviation field said that he believed that
the plan of flying airplanes from
America to Europe was feasible, and
he added that he believed the flight
would be undertaken before the end Of
the year in plans built in America
and equipped with the Liberty motor.
He told them that he wished to make
the flight himself and that he was
DESTROYS to have his name added to
for service in the first overseas squad
ron. 1t is probable that the petition,
with the approval of the commanding
officers of the field and with their
na2mes added, will be forwarded to the
Secretary of War.
Trained in Caprom Machines.
Most of the men who volunteered
for the fight have received training
in the flying of the huge American
built Caproni and similar machines
here, and officers Of the field said that
the men were qualified to fly the
type Of airplane. Under orders they
are continuing their study of the
Caproni planes here, and it was an
-nounced also that q detachment OF
the men had been sent to the flying
. field of the Standard Aircraft corpora
ton at Elizabeth, n. j., to study
there the mechanism and flying quail
tiesJ of the giant Handley-Page air
plant that was turned over to the war
department with impressive exercises
. on July 6.
This machine has a wing spread of
100 feet and is propelled by two Lib
erty motors of 400 horse power each
Lord SimphiH and other expert Brit
ish pilots will show the Americans
every trick of the huge machine and
every1 pilot will make flights in it or
in other planes of the type All of
the pilots in the First Provisional
Wings will rotate in studying this
plane and the Capronis at the army
field here. It is the type of the Hand
ley-Page machine that Joseph Hand
1ey-Page has offered to build here and
TO nave 10000 flown across the At
lantic by next Spring.
Favor Irish Route.
Major Rhinehart and other officers
at the field said they were sure that
the flight would be undertaken with
in few months. and that some of
the machines in the first fleet would
be flown by American aviators, al
though Italian, French, and British
aviators attached to the field here
are anxious to pilot one of the first
planes. He said that the American
army officers favored the route from
Newfoundland to Ireland instead of
flying to the front by way of the
Azores and Portugal. The Americans
wish to fly the planes from the fac
tories to Newfoundland, and then
make the jump of 1850 miles to Ire
land, and thence to the front They
have suggested also that a string of
ships be placed at 200-mtle intervals
along the route so that the pilots
would be guided accurately in their
\ swift flight and have facilities to re-
pair their planes in accidents.