Evening star., 1919-05-08

Ms First TO IaKe TO Alr.
The NC-3, with Commander John
H. Towers, chief of the expedition.
was the nrsr plane to take to the
ali TIE NC-1, with Lieut. Comman-
def p. n. l. Bellinger. and the NC-4,
with Lieut.. Commander A. c. Read as
tie commanding officers, were close
behind the NC-3.
The planes were escorted to sea by
squadron of Navy scout planes.
due in Halifax Before. Night.
Proceeding in a general northeast
erly direction the trio of giant air
and water birds should reach Halifax
before nightfaT, barring mishap.
Thence the route runs 460 miles to
Trepassey. 1850 miles to the Azores,
another 500 miles to Portugal and on
to Plymouth, England.
The total distance between Rock
away Beach and Plymouth is 1926
nautical miles.
The NC-3 cruised for a minute
northerIy in Jamaica bay, moving at
half speed through the water. and
then turned west for the open sea.
The throttles were thrown wide open,
and with a roar of the 1.600-horse-
One minute later the NC-1 lifted
herself from the water. followed
within fifty seconds by the NC-4. and
the worlds first transoceanic flight
was actually in progress.
Sunshine Floods Bay.
As the three craft vanished into the
light haze the sun broke through,
flooding the bay and illumining the
wings of the planes.
After rounding Rockaway point the
n IN
Montauk point. which is the tip Of
Long Island. where the course will
bend northeast to Chatham. Mass, on
the elbow of Cape Cod, thence contin-
uing over long stretch of coastal
waters to Halifax.
When the planes were fully mile
away the eventoned roar of their
huge motors assured the officers that
they were working perfectly. The
escorting scout planes turned back
about three miles from Rockaway
and the three transatlantic flyers
sped away on their great adventure.
First reports from the three Navy
transatlantic flyers came from the
coast guard station at Long Beach,
j. l.. where the life guards observed
the seaplanes flying in close forma-
tion at an altitude of about 500 feet.
Kany See Flights Start.
About 1900 persons. including the
1000 officers and men of the naval air
station, watched the three great
planes rise from the water and soar
out over Jamaica Bay. There was
no cheering, the spectators seeming
too profoundly impressed to give ut
terance to their feeling. Even con-
versation ceased, for it would have
been impossible for any man to make
his voice heard above the mighty
roaring Of the Ayers motors.
The only ceremony was the presen-
tatlon of fouTleaf clover to each
member of the crews by Capt. n. E.
Irwin of the aviation section of the
naval bureau of operations AS the
men took their places they were OBJ
viously under the influence of a rig
idly restrained spirit of excitement,
eager for the adventure and confident
Of the outcome.
Commander Towers expressed the
confidence Of all that the flight
would be successful. AS he donned
his sheepsHin uniform and helmet he
exclaimed de!ightedly to his brother
officers: Boys. were going to beat
it. As Commander Towers took his
seat in his flagship, the NC-3, he
waved his hand to the spectators and
called out:
Good bye. boys. There is nothing
we can see now that will prevent us
from being in Halifax by o'clock.
2 be men are a fine set. We could
not have better. We are confident
the American Navy will be the first
10 fly across the Atlantic ocean"
Commander +. y. l.. Bellinger.
skipper OF the NC-1. offered, as his
parting salute. With the help of
God and in spite of the devil, we
will do this little thing"
Lieut.. Commander A. c. Read, the
third skipper. said: Nothing has
been overlooked in the construction
of these planes. They'll do the
trick
Each seaplane carries six men. con.
sisting of the commander. a naviga
tor, two pilots, an engineer and a re-
serve pilot The reserve pilots will
go only TO Newfoundland, not being
included in the transatlantic compile
ment. The planes weighed 2s.50(
pounds apiece with a full load, ant
each is driven by four liberty motors
of 400 horsepower. each connected
with individual propellers. The wing
spread rs 126 feet Crew and equip
ment are carried in the hull, forty.
foot boat on which the plane rest.
when II alights on the water.
From the time the planes rose from
Jamaica bay they will not rest OF