Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-02-20
GIANT PLANE
REACHES HERE
CARRYING LOAD
OF ELEVEN MEN
HandIey Page Machine Now at South
erSFleId, Held Up By Heavy
Weather

The greatest airplane ever flown in
Georgia is at Souther Field. It is a
giant Handley-Page bombing plane,
with carrying capacity of 81 men. 1t
arrived at Souther Field Wednesday
afternoon carrying eleven men-four
officers and seven mechanics.
The great airship, which is one of
only half dozen in this country, only
three of which are in commission, is
on its way from Elizabeth, N. j., to
Ellington Field, Houston, Tex, where
it will be used in government work.
/ The officers, after stopping at Ameri-
Gus last night, had intended to con-
tinue theiy trip today but bad weather
interviewed, and they are waiting for
clearing atmosphere before venturing
further on their trip.
The huge airship landed gently at
Souther Field at 1928 p. m, having
made the fight from Columbia, S. c.,
in three hours, distance of 227
miles.
The officers bringing the ship here
are Captain William S. Reyburn,
Lieut. G. NJ. Palmer, Lieut. G. L. Brad
ford and Capt. c. F. Clevette.
/ The ship is operated by two Liberty
motors of 400 horsepower each. 1t is
one hundred feet wide, sixty-three feet
long and twenty-five feet high. 1t
weighs seven and one-half tons.
This is the initial trip of the ship.
On the trip to Souther Field it was
piloted by Lieut.. Palmer
When the trip is resumed the flyers
will go to Payne Field, Mississippi,
then to Gerstner Field, La, and thence
to Houston.
"Tt did our hearts good" said Pilot
Lieut. Palmer, who drove the huge air
ship here, when my eyes fell on
Souther Field about ten miles away
and at an elevation of 5000 feet. I
must admit that it is the finest field
| in the country"
His views were shared by Alternate
Pilot Lieut. Bradford.
The landing" said he, was as easy
as one would be in stepping from an
automobile, and this, notwithstanding
a variable current was flowing from
the east-northeast which is one of the
so-called points that the treacherous
winds come from.
II was surprised not to find two
dozen planes in the air instead of two,
and more so to learn that all your ca
diets had been transferred to other
fields. This certainly can be but tenn
porary, as the government would not
lose the opportunity of training the
flyers of the future in such a desir-
able locality and under the favorable
meteorological conditions.
mo, we are in no hurry" said the
lieutenant, "and shall not take off un-
| til the weather becomes favorable. We
are always glad to have the public in
spect the ship, and it is undoubtedly
agreeable to the commanding officer,
Lieut.. Col F. T. Dickman.
Our landing at Pinehurst was in
several inches of snow and thick at
mosphere filed with falling snow. At
Emerson Field, Columbia, we did not
have any too much room to take off in,
but there is plenty at Souther for any
size ship"
The giant plane stopped for an hour
yesterday near Doyle, Ga, on the trip
here. C. w. Clark, of Americus, was
at DOYLE at the time and was one OF
the interested spectators who visited
the ship. The descent was apparently
made for no other reason than to test
the landing facilities Of the cornmun-
ity and air conditions. The landing
and ascent were made easily.