The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-10

BY SEAPLANE IN
% HOURS NEAR
Hugo Sundstedt, Swedish
Aviator. Arranging Start
for This Week.
SEEKS $4,000 PRIZE
May Attempt Trial To-day
With Machine Now in
BayOnne.
TWO TONS OF GASOLENE
Two or Three Passengers tC
Accompany Him in Flight
Via Newfoundland.
TWO TONS OF GASOLEN

ANCN
While the Governments OF the United
States and Great Britain have been
considering taking up in serious way
as Hermicne would say-the dues-
ton Of a transatlantic flight and even
have darinEly predicted possibly IT
might be made. Capt. Hugo Sundstedt.
n Swedish aviator. has designed and
constructed a seaplane in which he
proposes to make the fight.
Late spring or early summer Is the
earliest time set by either Government
for the possible flight. but Capt. Sund-
stedt said yesterday he was so certain
O winter crossing was feasible that he
intended to rise from the waters here
about to make the attempt in a week
or so il his seaplane acts as he ex-
poets in his trial trips.
Transatlantic flights have been so fre-
uently proposed. considered and talked
about that the general public has grown
exceedingly sceptlcal concerning them
/
that whether or not Capt Sundstedt sue
ceeds in getting his seaplane in shape
| for the attempt he himself is no tyro in
the matter OF long distance flying. In
July, 1914, when airplanes and air en-
gines were still in their exceedingly
crude pre-war state. he made a sus-
tanned flight Of about 1900 miles from a
/ little town called Buc. near Paris. to
| Stockholm. in a Farman biplane. The
time for this trip was thirteen hours and
! twenty minutes.
| Interests Norwegian Financier.
Although only 81 he has been flying
since 1903 and has many other flights 10
! his credit Like most ayiators. he has
been haunted for some years by the de-
/ sire to he the crst man to span the At
/ lan,ic. He came TO this country late in
1916. with Lieut.. Kiel Nyegaard a Nor
wegian aviator. who had become q
French citizen and military aviator. to
make plans for the flight. but the United
States entered the war before anything
/ could be done. Last July he resumed
! his planning. having interested Chris
topher Hannevig. a Norwegian f'nancier
in the project.
over In Bayonne in front OF the
grounds OF the Pavonia Yacht Club. rest
ing on floats In the oily waters Of New
ark Bay. the huge seaplane which is the
result Of his planning loomed yesterday
while a dozen mechanics. dwarfed &c
brown gnomes by her huge proportions
! scrambled about her wings and pom.
tooIs. The finishing touches were beins
put to the great craft. Her maiden fiigh
will be made to-day or Tomorrow
probably tomorrow.
The great seaplane. painted BATH,
shir gray. resembles nothing go much
as a dragon f,y--such dragon fly a,
never was seen before in the widest ol
most alcoholic OF dreams. Her huge up
per wing spans a hundred feet hel
lower II u feet.
Room for Four I'm Cabin.
Between the wings and well in from
OF them Is the cabin from which tn,
craft is controlled. Back of the cabiI
stretches the fusela2e or framework con
Meeting wings and tail. The cabin II
self Is tiny chamber. with four seats
two in front and two behind these.
On each side of the cabin, mounte'
between the two planes, are the tw
X \
, built by the Hall-Scott Company in Sa
Francisco and especially designed 70
the work they must do In driving thi
particular craft. They will furnish a.
horse power and will run tOgethe
throughout the fight.
As for other details. her total littin
, surface is 1851 square feet rudder are
: twenty-five square feet, estimated spec
more than eighty miles an hour an
: weight 10000 pounds.
THE time at which l start this ftgh
Will depend upon the way in which III
; seaplane acts during her trials thi
week" said Capt. Sundstedt yesterda!
t IF all goes well see absolutely n
: reason why the transatlantic fiish
should not be starred immediately
' Winter? We have had very little win
e ter this year. and l do not exepect muc
= more Of II. But that would not dete
r me. It is cold--icy cold up In the al
I at the attitudes we may pass throug
h even on the warmest summer day, &
why should winter deter us?
Two Tons of Gssolene.
THE tanks back OF the cabin in Il
fuselage will hold two tons OF gasolen
That will be enough 10 take us acro<
/ the ocean without a stop for fuel n
plenishment Our route will be frol
Newark Bay TO st, Johns. NewfounC
| land, and from there right across Il
| ocean to London. We can make 1t.
| am sure. In less than twenty-five hour
| The engines have already behaved splei
| -didly IN an eighteen hour nonstop tri
| they were given in San Francisco"
There Is a gap between Newfoundlar
| and Ireland OF 1900 miles. Capt Sun,
| stcdt said II was impossible to fix ds
! on which the flight might be starte
Too much depended upon the action
the seaplane and It's engines during Il
coming week. Not only Is there hon,
In the undertaking, but there Is all
financial reward, for $4,000, includir
the London Daily Mall prize of $50, 90
is waiting for the man who first spal
the gulf between England and Il
United States. he said.
Most OF to-day will be spent In settir
the machine In perfect shape for Il
Il i.k h,,t tap