The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-05
NAVY'S FLIERS
HOPE FOG LIFTS
BY TOMORROW
Rockaway Seaplanes Ready
for Initial Leg of
Oversee Trip.
FIRST STOP AT HALIFAX
NC-1 With Load of More Than
$4,000 Pounds Rises in 10
Seconds in Test.

Soon after the sun glints over the
edge Of the Atlantic tomorrow morning
at Rockaway Point the three naval NC
Aying boats-the greatest seaplanes in
exlstence-will rise from the surface of
Jamaica Bay to fly by a devious route of
ASA miles across the Atlantic to Eng
land
The time was officially announced
yesterday afternoon by Commander John
II. Towers. leader of the expedition.
with the inevitable proviso OF the ex-
perienced aeronaut-"weather permit
ting" BY midafternoon-in less than
half the time the fastest ship has ever
steamed the distance-the~ seaplanes
should be in Halifax harbor, $40 nauti-
cal miles away. the first stopping point
on the trip. II they are not settling
down on the waters Of the Nova Scotian
port before the sun sets It Is a good
indication that their chances of spanning
the Atlantic are slight.
The obstacle most likely to prevent
the start on Tuesday morning will be
fog on the coast OF Nova Scotia" said
Commander Towers yesterday I'VE
must have clear weather there OF
course. we will not start IL 1t is stormy
at this end or II there is a strong head
wind against us. but the principal thing
to worry about is fog at Nova Scotia.
We will start II there is only weak
wind against us"
Wind Holds British Six Weeks.
SO far. by holding back the British
fiers at Newfoundland for six weeks. the
wind has favored the Americans, but at
eny moment there may be change.
Twenty men. seven each in two planes
and six In the third, will fly tomorrow
morning. but five will be dropped at
Newfoundland for their weight in gaso-
lene Each plane with it's load on the
first lap of the journey will weigh APP
proximately $4,000 pounds. This is two
tons less than the weight with which
each flying boat will be burdened on the
crucial lap of the transocean Journey
the 1900 knot stretch between Trepassey
Bay, " F.. and the island of Fayal, In
the Azores.
One passenger to be dropped at New.
foundland is Lieutenant-C Comma r
E, Byrd, L. s. N, who will fly in Com.
mander Towers's seaplane in order thai
ne and Commander Towers may carry
Despite the division of dreadnoughts ant
the destroyers which will patrol thu
route with numbers painted on theii
decks and with powerful searchlight.
and wireless apparatus to direct ant
possibly to rescue the seaplanes. thei
navigation for hundreds of miles through
unknown air currents over An unchang
ing rim OF water and possibly through
,ogs is difficult problem. On the shout
ders OF Commander Towers will rest thu
responsibility II the seaplanes should ge
lost
So efficient Is the meteorological ser
vice which is a feature Of the trip
combination OF information obtained
from the usual sources and from specia
observers at sea with the various nava
craft assigned to flight duty-that Com
mander Towers will probably know th
morning whether the following day Il
likely to be clear at Nova Scotia. A
! o'clock yesterday at Halifax, for ex
ample, the wind was blowing south n
the rate Of ten miles an hour. and fol
was predicted for to-day. This informa
ton was in Commander Towerss hand
yesterday afternoon.
No Ceremony Mt start.
The start will be absolutely withou
ceremony. The planes will be mooret
of shore tonight ready for the trip ant
Tomorrow morning each man will clutcl
the Ave pounds OF personal effects h
Is permitted to carry and go aboard
Then the seaplanes will go.
No visitors will be permitted to ente
he grounds of the station and no mai
or other unnecessary junk will be car
rled Even Brownie, the talented NJ
pup who can loop the loop will be lief
on the beach His weight in gasolen
might mean the difference between sue
cess and failure.
The start from Newfoundland viii
probably take place about ten days afte
me start from Rockaway, but here agail
the phrase weather permitting loom
ike spectre over the navy.
There is absolutely nothing OF i'm
portance remaining to be done to tn
three seaplanes." Commander Tower
said yesterday. They have not all bee
tried out under fun load. but this Is un
necessary. as their other tests hav
shown them alike in weight carryin
ability. The NC-3 has had five hou
engine test, the NC-1 will have a test c
two hours more, as she has had only a
hour and a half SO far, and the NC
VIII have two hours more.
The route from here to Halifax, an
indeed the entire route. will be prac
ncally all over water. We will skirt III
coast line as far as Cape Cod, pass owe
the projecting elbow, and then hea
away from land toward Halifax"
New Test for the NC-1.
The NC-1 had her first test yesterda
since a fourth engine was installed an
since the wrecking OF her wings in II
Dig storm a month ago. This Is ii
plane which carried fifty-one men on on
Trip, and which has flown from Hampto
ROADS TO Rockaway at speed
seventy-one miles an hour. She Shove
Qualities yesterday which seemed to SUI
pass those of her younger but not sprye
Sisters
Her hrat mat was to rise from III