The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-17

chrony falls to Machinist l.. r. Moore
and Lieut.. (junior grade) b. Rhodes.
both regulars
with Lieutenant Commander Read in
the hitherto unlucky NC-4 are Lieut.
e. r. Stone Of the Coast Guard, and
Lieut.. g. g.) Walter Hinton of the
Regulars. pilots; Ensign H. c. Rodd Of
the Reserve, radio man. and Lieut. J. l..
Breese, Jr., of the Reserve and Chief
Machinist's Mate E s. Rhodes Con-
corning acknowledgements Read
this should be said: He Is the smallest
man on the flight. and, 80 his crew agree.
about the pluckiest. No trouble Is too
big for him to handle, and even though
his engines twice dropped him on to the
surface OF the ocean miles out at sea he
got his ship to Trepassey notwithstand-
ing, and got there with his appetite for
the big flight merely whetted by acci-
dents which will have q very grave re-
suit should they recur at sea.
Added Man in Each Crew.
With Lieut. Patrick N. L. Bellinger
and his smile-for his smile is at least
as noted as is he himself-on the dull
colored NC-1 are Lieut-Commander NJ.
A. Mitscher OF the Regulars and Lieut..
l. T. BARN Of the Reserve pilots, Lieut..
q. 60 II. Sadenwater, radio man, and
Chief Machinlst's Mate c. /. Kesler and
Machinist r. Christensen. both OF the
navy
1t originally was planned to make the
big jump with only Ave men apiece In
the crews. leaving behind at Trepassey
Lieuts. Rhodes and Breese, and Machin-
list Christensen. On the trip north from
Rockaway, however. Commander Tow
ers found these men worth their weight
in gasolene-no higher compliment
could be paid on a transatlantic flight
and took them along.
Concerning the commander of the ex-
petition 1t should be said that during
all the troubles of engines, weather,
planes and innumerable Fostering de-
tails his face has remained entirely
calm and his voice at the same even
tone So. too. It was during the equally
harassing days OF planning the flight at
Washington, when the planes-except
the NC-1-never had taken the water.
Praise OF Commander Towers is pre-
mature at this stage of the game but II
should be pointed out that he set the
date Of the start OF the flight at May
II some two or three months ago, and
has been compelled by all the vicissi.
tudes that the ships have passed through
In the course Of construction. trying out
and actual flight to postpone II only two
days-a record In the uncertain science
Of aviation. as all connected with II
will affirm.
Moro Than 400 Gallons of Fuel.
When the seaplanes took of to-day
with their sixth man aboard each
weighed approximately $4,000 pounds.
OF this the planes themselves weighed
l6, 100 pounds, 30 that the gasolene, sup
plies. men and oil aboard weighed 1900
pounds. The crew and provisions
weighed about 1900 pounds. the oil
about 900 and the gasolene somewhere
between 10000 and 1900 pounds, from
100 to 1900 gallons.
The first hour OF flying, with the four
engines turning over at their fastest,
will burn up $50 pounds OF gasolene.
Thereafter the amount win diminish
steadily as the gradual tightening of
the machine by the burning of Its fuel
will do away with the strain on the
engines. It is planned to shut of one
engine some hours after the start of the
flight. for by that time three engines will
support the weight of the machine. This
motor will be OF great use IN case one
OF the others goes wrong under the long
strain. At the end Of fourteen hours of
flying tomorrow morning another motor
will be throttled down to idling speed and
the lightened planes will fly on two. By
this time they will be burning only $50
pounds of gasolene each hour.
First Three Hours Crucial.
It is known that the part OF the flight
which Commander Towers regards as
crucial 10 the first two or three hours In
The air. In those hours the engines
under their greatest strain. will not be
hi. naQ ztA fArw 40
marrying winds around the banks may
be encountered, and any defect OF plane
or engine Is likely TO make itself felt
Once through the first hours of flying in
the frigid air above the Ice studded
waters around Newfoundland. Com
mander Towers will enter the night with
great confidence. for in his opinion the
worst OF the journey will be past
II will rest upon his shoulders prin-
cipally to navigate surely and steadily
during the nineteen hour flight toward
the tiny island OF Corvo. a small mark
at 1900 miles distance. The infrequent
links OF the chain Of destroyers will aid
him to be sure with their searchlights,
flares and illuminations. but there Is
danger OF link out OF place, a sudden
shift OF the wind, which over a black,
invisible ocean cannot be detected, with
the result that the planes might shoot
on their course and waste precious gas
olene on a false direction
II one plane goes down in such shape
that the aviators are In imminent peril
of their lives one of the other planes
will stop. but otherwise the work OF res
cue will be left to the destroyers. for
the orders are to make the Azores. and
politeness Is taboo.
Most Powerful Planes in World.
While not the largest the NC flying
boats are the most powerful airplanes
in existence at the present time Their
four great Liberty motors, each Of
twelve cylinders. thrust the heavily laden
planes through the air with a force OF
sixteen hundred horsepower. Even
now. sixteen years after the first motor
propelled airplane flight, when every
child understands the primary principle
Of heavier than air flight. It is hard for
many people to believe without seeing
the raising of fourteen tons of wood,
81 -. a.