The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-05-09
BIG NAVAL FL|ERS
LEAVE THIS MORNING
ON ATLANTIC FLIGHT

UN ALLAN Ill fLI6HI
New York. May S.-The first trans
Atlantic flight was begun when three
NC mavy-Curtiss) hydroplanes left the
governments abr station AT Rockaway
Eaach at 10 n IN. today on the first
leg of the journey -Rockaway to Hall
fax, distance of $40 miles. The NC-3,
with Commander John $. Towers, chief
of the expedition. was the first plane
10 take to the air.
New York, May S.-Talling the air
with the three transatlantic sea
planes, the big navy dlrigible airshp
CO sailed away from Rockaway Pom,
today, with destination unannounced,
She circled around as the heavierNhan-
air fliers got away and then started
off in an easterly direction. At ll.3o
o'clock. "A naval balloon was reported
passing over Bridgeport, Conn, head
ing northeast towards Derby, Conn.
About 1900 persons including the
/ 900 officers and men of the naval
air station watched the three great
planes rise from the water and soar
out over Jamica Bay. There was no
cheering. the spectators seeming too
profoundly impressed to give utterance
to their feelings.
The only ceremony was the presen
tation of four.leaf clover to each
member of the crews by Captain NJ. y
Irwin of the aviation section of the
naval bureau OF operations. Com
mander Towers took his seat in his
flagship, the NC.3, waved his hand to
the spectators and called out;
Confidence of Crews
Good bye, boys. There is nothing
we can see now that will prevent us
being in Halifax by six o'clock. The
men are fine set. We are confident
the American navy will be the fhs
| to fly across the Atlantic ocean"
Each seaplane carried six men, con
| sisting of the commander, navigator
two pilots, an engineer, and reserve
! pilot. The reserve pilots viii go only
TO New Foundand, not being included
in the transatlantic compliment Th'
planes weighed 2S,500 pounds apiece
| with "A full loads and each is driven by
four Liberty motors of 400 horsepower
each connected with individual pro
peller-s. The wing spread IS l26 1eet
Crew and equipment are carried In TN
hull. a forty.foot boat on which th'
plane rests when it aiilshts ON th'
! water.
From the time the planes arose iron
Jamaica Bay, they VIII not rest OF
land until they reach the other side
the ocean a the appointed stopping
places they will be moored in harbor
and il they are compelled to align
along the line of the warship ocea
patrol they are capable of riding an
ordinary sea while being overhauled o
repaired.
The NC-1 with Lieut.. Commando
u. n. L. Binger, and the NC-4, WIT
Lieut.. Commander a. c. Read as IN
commanding officers, We're close p'
hind the NC-3. The planes We're e'
corted to the sea by a squadron q
navy scout planes.
Should Reach Halifax Tonight
Proceeding in a general northeastei
" direction the trio of giant air an
water birds should reach Halifax be
fore nightfall, barring mishap. Theme
the route runs 1850 miles to tn
Azores. another 500 miles to Portuga
and on to Plymouth. England.
The radio station here was in cor
slant communication with the thre
planes as they passed along the souti
ern New England coast on their fllgf
to Halifax. The fliers reported tha
the machines were working satisfac
orily. and making good progress. Tn
NC4 was slightly in the lead with tn
NC-3 second and the NC1 close b'
hind.
The planes were a considerable di'
tanca off shore and appeared to b
about 1000 feet in the air, flying on
after the other An observation ba
loou had been sent up from the nav;
flvinp station as guide for the planes
hnt because of their distance fror
- shore. no effort was made to sign;
them.
washington, May S.-Commande
Reid of the navy seaplane NC'4 repor