Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-05-17

lConJInueu from First rage.
men have passed, the destroyers so
close together that an hours steam
ing would bring one of them to the
alighting place of any of the air
craft forced to descend. Mother
ships, tenders and other naval units.
at intervals along the course, have
mechanlcS, tools, extra parts and
gasoline aboard, ready to give aid
which would make possible resump-
ton of its journey by a plane but
out OF commission by slight defects.
Posted on Weather Conditions
The patrol fleet, in wireless con-
tact throughout it's length and in
touch with the United States Wealth
er Bureau, as well as ships of vari-
Gus nationalities cruising the Middle
Atlantic, will keep the aviators post
ed on weather conditions in the areas
they are approaching, also co-operat-
ing with the navigators aboard the
planes in directing the flight.
Give us no luck, good or bad, and
the transatlantic voyage should be
made without trouble" said Com
mander John II. Towers, chief of the
"hop-off" on the completeness of the
Navy's preparations. I'VE are not
undertaking the impossible, we are
not banking on chance. We are at
tempting a flight wholly within the
mechanical possibilities of the NC
planes, hoping to demonstrate, with
out reckless risk of life or valuable
property, that an air cruise to Eu-
rope is a practical proposition"
Giant Strides Made
One of Commander Towers broth
er officers declared that n new branch
of the science of navigation was
growing up around the NC planes,
thus making the fight an undertake
ing expected to contribute material
ly to the advancement of the profess
sion of the sea. Giant strides have
been made in development of the
steering and weather charts to be
used on the flight and the crews ex-
pected to accomplish worth while
results in the experiments above blue
water.
The naval aircraft, the NC-1, NC-3
and NC-4, huge flying boats which
ascend from take off, in the wa
ter and "and" also on the surface
of the sea, are driven by Liberty mo-
tors, four to plane and aggregating
1000 horsepower. They are of the
biplane type, with a wing span of
1876 feet, length over all 60 feet and
length of hull, A feet. The craft
weigh 1900 pounds, with navigat-
ing and wireless equipment aboard
but without crew and fuel. The
total flying weight is 2S,5O0 pounds
Have Dual Control System
The planes have a dual control
system, with seats side by side and
forward of the gasoline tank, for the
pilots, each of whom has a complete
set of instruments, including COM
passes. The navigating station, out
fitted with the regulation marine in
struments, is in the bow, while the
engineer and radio operator occupy
the main compartment at the tanks.
The planes are expected to cruise,
without winds, rs Qand) miles an
hour and the gasoline capacity of
11,4O0 pounds will carry them up
wards of 800 miles, considerably in
excess of the longest lap of the ocean
from Trepassey to the Azores
without refueling.
With Commander Towers in charge
of the expedition, the three planes
set out in command of Mr.. Towers.
Lieutenant Commander A. G. Read
and Lieutenant Commander p. N. l..
Bellinger.
Commander a Southerner
Commander Towers who is "a
years of age, was born in Georgia
and entered the Naval Academy in
1902. After service on various war
ships he was assigned to the aviation
section for instruction three years
before the outbreak of the European
War. Midwinter of 1919 found him
in charge of fha avfa fion nan.S. -