Imperial Valley press., 1919-05-17
HOW THE NAVAL
PLANES EXPECT
TO CROSS SEAS
nv Associated Pressl

i
Trepassey, ~ F., May l6.-When
the giant American hydroairplanes
sped away into the east, over the
Grand Banks and the broad Atlantic,
they entered upon course not only
carefully charted, but patrolIed by
rescue and repair ships all the way
70 the Portuguese coast.
Looking upon tie CrI-se no, as q
sporting venture. nor as an attempt
merely to win for the United States
the honor Of the first tr2n5-At.2rs.@
air flight, but as al undcrta& in~ fer
the advancemcrt Of science ana see.
m3nship, the American n~vy placed
its own vast resources ri the dis" sal
of the aviatoTs, and enlisted Jr.sC ot
other government departments ~ an
effort TO assure TIE safety q the
crews and TO red zee 10 q MINIMUM me
clement Of chance in the project.
A flotilla Of dcstroyers, reinforced
by battleships whose more powerful
wireless equipment was INTENDED to
pick up messages from the flyers in
case the radio sets of the smaller YES
scls failed t. function. formed . chain
cf communication across the Atlantic
while the planes were proceeding &c
their base here The fleet Will remain
on station until the biTdmen have
passed. the dcstroyers so close to-
gcther that an hours steamino would
bring one Of them to the alighting
place Of any Of the aircraft forced to
descend Mother ships. tenders and
other naval units, at intervals along
the. course. have mechanics, tools, eX-
ira carts and gasoline aboard ready
to give aid which would make possible
resumption Of its journey bv a plane
nut cut Of commission by slight de-
fects.
TIE ratrnl fleet, in wireless contact
throughout its length and in touch
with the United States Weather Bu-
reau, as well as ships Of various ma
tionalities cruising the Middle ATTAIN
tic, will keep the aviators posted on
weather conditions II the areas thcy
are approaching, also cooperating
with The navigators aboard the planes
in directing the flight.
"Give us nc luck, good or bad and
the trans oceanic vova0e should be
made without trouble SAID SOM
mander John II Towers, chief Of the
expedition, commenting before the
''hop off" On the completeness Of the
of the navy's preparations. eve are
not undertaking the impossible, we
are not Eanking en- chance. We are
attempting flight wholly within the
mechanical possibilities of the \ c
planes, hoping to demonstrate, with
out reckless risk Of life or valuable
property, that an air cruise TO Europe
is practical proposition
One Of Commander Towers brother
officers declared that q new branch
Of the science of navigation was
growing up around the NC planes, !
thus making the flight an undertake +
ing expected TO contribute materially /
to the advancement of tho profession /
of the sea. Giant strides have been
made in development of the steering
ard weather sharts to he used on the
flight and the crews expected to ac-
ecmrlish worth while results III the
cxnericrnents above blue water.
The naval aircratr. IRE NC-l, Nc
huge flyl1r boat which ascend from
take off" in The W2tor and land"
also On the surface of the sea, are
driven b. Liicr.E motors, four to a !
plane and aggregatjng 500 horse |
power. Thew are Of The biplane type, I
with a wing spun Of 126 feet, length
over all 60 feet and length Of hull. .
A feet The craft weight. 15,1G0
pounds, with navigating and wireless
equipment aboard. but without crew
and fuel The total flying weight is
28,500 pounds.
The planes have a dual control
system. with seats side bv side and
forward Of the gasoline tank, for the
~'lOts, each OF whom has a complete
set Of Instruments, including com
pass. The navigatino system, out
fitted with the regulation marine in
StTuncnts, IS III the bow, while the
engineer and radio operator occupy
the main compartment at the tanks.
The planes are expected to cruise,
without winds, se.enty-five (lanC
miles IN hour and the gasoline ca
racity Of II ,400 pounds will carry
them upwards Of 800 miles, c3nsid-
orably il excess Of the longest lap Of
the ocean flight-from Trepasscy %
The AZores-@ithout ro-fucling.
With Commander Towers in charge
Ct the expedition, the three planes set
oct in command Of Mr.. Tower, Lieu
tQnant Commander A. G. Read and
+ Lieut. u"nt Commander T. n L. Bel
linger.
Commander Towers. who is thirty
four ycms OF age. Wa born in Geor-
pia. and entered the Naval Acadany
III 1907 After service ON various
AettGt44tfN. ilG W a. asst s-JltR ~ ti4E eiF De-
alton section fCr instruction thrDs
Hcars before the outbreak Of the Eu-
ropem war. MdWintcr Of 1912 found
him in charge OF the aviation camp
at the Guantanamo maaaluvor
ground cf the Atlantic fleet, aud IN
September, 1914, AZ a lieutenant, he
vent 10 London as assistant to the
Americau naval Jttache. After a
tour Of d8ty on tho @tsff Of ihe CHIEF
Of operations at Washington, during
which he participated in the selection
cf avi2t;on stations and ven his com
mission ass commander, Mr.. Towers
was designated early TIM year 10 de
velop the plans for the transatlantic
flight
Lieutenant Commander Read.
thirty-two years Of age, was bonn in
New Hampshire. After ieayr. An
nanolis he filled various ASSIGNMENTS
until 1915, when he reported al the