The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-18
PLANS FOR
ATLANTIC FLIGHT
MOST EXTENSIVE
Details Of Far Reaching Ar.
engagements Made for Trial
Of SeapIaneS Shows Deter
minatiOn to Succeed.

WASHINGTON, April ~Is.-Mobiliza-
ton Of naval effort for the proposed
flight Of seaplanes across the Atlantic
ocean next month probably Is more ex-
tenslVes than any heretofore underta-
Ken in peace time. Capt. Noble Il.
irwin. in charge OF naval aviation. il
the directing head ana every bureau
OF the navy as well as the fleet Itself
Is cooperating with him, several score
o~fficers having been assigned to work
in connection with preparations for the
flight.
Planes to be used were designed byI
hayal constructors Jerome G. Hun
sacker and Holden c. Richardson and
thelr assistants, in association with
representatives of the Curtiss compa-
ny, which built the aircraft. Inspectionl
turing construction was under Liea-l
Commander George G. Wester-I
YET Ihese oiricers are attached tol
me bureau OF. construction and Tepair,
which has charge Of designing and
constructing all naval planes,
me manufacture n installation of
motors and attachments were directed
py Commander Arthur X. Atkins, of
tIne bureau or steam engineering and
me preparation and installation Of ra-
dio equipment on the planes was SUI
perintended by Lieut.. Robert A, Layen-l
derer, of tho engineering bureaus radiol
division, Of which Commander Stanford
=. Hooper is the head. Electric light
lng ana wiring on the planes was as
signed TO another division of this bu-
reau.
preparations Of plans for the flight
and the assembly of material is theI
work of the especialiy created trans
Atlantic section of the OFFICE of naval
a aviation NBhtal nn.Ra ...a -. = -
Mediate direction of Capt. Irwin. Cont
mander John II. Powers Is in charge Of
the section, and detailed with him are
hleutenan -Commander p. N. l.. Bel
lnger, Commander Richardson, Lieu
tenant Commander R. e. Byrd, Lieu
tenant Commander G. DeChevalier and
Mai B. L.. Smith, of the marine CORPS.
Navigation instruments to be used
on the planes during the flight will be
furnished by the naval observatory,
which is under the bureau of naviga.
ton. Officers Of this bureau have
Ia Instruments used before and during
the war, and these are expected TO
prove of great value IN the flight. The |
details OF the instruments are carefully
guarded secrets, as they are believed to
be a distinct advancement over many
now In use.
Other Details.
The office OF communications Is
charged with working out details Of
wireless communication between the
planes and the destroyers which are to
assist in the flight, while assignment
Of the d%estroyers and their arrange4
mont at sea is left to Rear Admiral
Plunkett, commander of the destroyed
force, acting under the direction of Ad-
miral Henry 7. Mayo, commander in
chief OF the fleet. Selection of the YES.
apIo nAnHnA u. thn. f1tar1t tn aIat&tA% a.. l.
the destroyers Is to be- made by the
bureau of operations.
IN important part Of the prepara. |
lions falls to photography office of the
bureau of navigation, where charts and
data are prepared for the aid OF the
now a part of the navy department, the
weather bureau also is cooperating
and is furnishing vital information re-
garding winds and weather.
Reports as to weather conditions on
the flight course are received from
many different sources, including naval
and other vessels, and this feature Of
the work alone will form an interest
chapter of the complete story OF
the flight preparations to be told after
ne planes start from New. Foundland
u The bureau of navigation also is
with supplying the personnel, =
hits section being under Lieutenant 4
Commander M. s. Brown, officers and 1
men who will man the planes when '
they start from RoclSaway Beach, Long
Island, have not yet been definitely
but there is not a pilot in
he naval air force who Is not hopeful
" being accorded the honor of assisting
% pilot one Of the machines in this
history-making event. l
The number of men who will make
he flight necessarily will depend upon r
he number Of machines to start. There
ire only three OF the special N. c. type /
designed for this undertaking, and il Is !
probable that only two will
Each viii carry not more than II
men, t.
Some of the officers who are prepar- !
Ing plans for the flight, as well as those
who are at Rockaway Beach In con.
with tests of the planes, will
be selected. There Is a growing be-
lief In the navy department that Com1l
mander Towers, who was one Of the
Of the navy air pilots, will be- the
commander, and that Lieutenant
Commander Belllngcr win be assigned
as a pilot IN one Of the planes.
Il