Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-06-01
PILOT OF NC-4 DECLARES
!. LAST LAP REAL JOYR|DE
Lieutenant e. F. Stone Says Grow
Joked and Ate Sandwiches Going
: to Plymouth.
HABrED By RADIATOR LEAK
Seaplane Landed on Mondego River
for Slight Rcpairs-Bad Weather
Encountered in Ncighbcrhood OF
Brest, France.
III LIEUTENANT ELMER T.. STONE
Pilot Of NC-1


PLYMOUTH. ENG. May 3i-Thc rur
up from Lisbon to Plymouth was 10,
ride all the way. All the members OF
there crew are In perfect health. since
been minor. We all feel like fighting
cocks, ready TO ny somewhere else this
minute.
We left Lisbon at 5:29 a. NJ, Green
Of fuel. The weather was excellent
walter Hinton acted as pilot at the
start and | :.lternated with him half
hourly after that
: Shortly after the start ] noticed a
slight leak in the water jacket. and
Called Lieutenant Commander Reads
attention 20 it. He decided as we APP
take any chance OF being caught with
heated engines over the Ray OF Biscay.
and we made n landing at 7:al A NJ.
= Held Buck by Tide.
We came down in the shadows. and
were unable TO take off on account of
the receding tide. We. therefore. were
forced to wait for the tide TO turn.
The whole population of the tiny
fishing village of F!guerio turned out
60 watch us and to help move tho craft.
We got away again at as +. NJ. with
out trouble, and. with Hinton plotting
We arrived at Ferrol. Spain, at I:47
p NJ landing in the bay with a beau
tiful spiral.
: Because ~ the fact that even with
repairs made we would not bc able to
nake plymouth before dark, Lieu
spend the night at Ferrol. The water
Racket was easily repaired with
radiator cement. After that all hands
went ashore and to bed. in preparation
Aor an carly start in the morning.
Head for plymouth.
!. At A. NJ. all hands rowcd out TO
the anchorage of the NC-4. and when
we tuned UP We found the ma chine
singing like bird. We got OF for
taxi across the bay, taking the air at
6:27 4. NJ. Making two wide circles
oyer the city. we gained altitude. and
then headed for Plymouth
A slight Southerly wind and variable
air gave us three wonderful hours OF
flying.
We ate sandwiches, drank coffee and
we're in the highest spirits. agreeing
that this last leg OF the transatlantic
hight was the best of the lot.
AS We were approaching Brcst our
we ran into ow-lyinG clouds, mist and
rain squalls-typical Brest weather.
We had been flying at an attitude Of
from 1000 TO l,5oo feet, but the rain
SQUALLS forced us down TO about 200 in
trying TO pick UP the station ships
we were off the course for while
put we picked up few messages from
the station ships and passed low over
the Ushant lightship and circlcd Brcst
harbor and it's shipping.
& Have Real Troubles.
At ll:45 we swung seward and
started across the channel for Ply
mouth. Then for a while we had real
6iff1culties. We dropped as low AS
forty feet to escape tho rain clouds.
trailing our wireless aerials in the
waves.
We were receiving and sending
messages by means OF the wing an.
tennac.
From Brest to Plymouth we were
able 10 sec hardly more than three
miles ahead; We passed nearly all
She station ships. missing tho Stockton
halfway across tho channel. although
sine was only five miles away from us
when We sighted England
Lieutenant Commander Roads cal
culations were SO good that wo had
no trouble. We came over the break
water OF Plymouth harhor at an att.
tude OF 900 feet. crcling to ind a
brought us to tho entrance OF the
Cattewater, and VIC landed with an
easy right spiral: Lieutenant Hinton
made beautiful landing at 1915
Greenwich timc).
From Ferrol To Plymouth our nv
ing time was six hours and fiftv- eight