The sun., 1919-02-12
MISHAP IMPERILS
CROSS-SEA PLANE
Giant Aircraft, Sundstedt
Aboard, Crashes Into Dock
After Launching.
DAMAGE PROVES SLIGHT
Experts Predict Machine Will
Fly to Europe as
Planned.

A mishsp which might have resulted
in disaster attended the launching yes
terday at Bayonne Of the big seaplane IN
which Capt. Hugo sundstedt will attempt
to fly across the Atlantic Ocean within q
week or two.
Delay In getting a motor launch to
tow the seaplane and float upon which
II rested at the grounds OF the Pavonia
Yacht Club into the unobstructed waters
Of Newark Bay caused Capt. Sundstedt
TO attempt to slide his airboat of the
float under her own power. The huge
craft easily glided into the water when
the Captain. sitting In the glass in
closed cabin, in which all controls are
located. speeded up the two powerful
Liberty engines driving the twin pro-
pellers.
Once of the float the unequal speed at
which the two propellers were turning
drove the craft. still on the water. dag
onally out from shore instead of straight
ahead. The change in direction was
aided by the wind. which was also blow
ing diagonally toward shore. causing the
seaplane automatically to head into the
breeze. Despite the Captains immediate
turn of the rudder the seaplane bore
down upon a narrow landing dock jut-
ting out more than hundred feet. AZ
the huge left wing. menacing as a double
razor, headed toward the outer end Of
the dock. movie men, after frantic turn
or 30 OF their cameras, streaked for
shore. The lower Of the two wings hit
the heavy wooden supports of the hand
rail OF the dock with a crash, but II was
the rail and not the seaplane which
crumpled.
Motorboat to Rescue.
Captain Sundstedt shut off power as
the seaplane. caught by one wing piv-
oted around the end OF the dock. A
motor boat commanded by Lieut. E. A.
Costello. L. s. A.. which just had been
launched to tow the seaplane out. came
up in time to get the airboat out OF
danger. while volunteer spectators
helped fend of the wings. When Capt.
sundstedt climbed out Of his cabin down
onto a pontoon to see how much dana 20
his machine had sustained he found only
a nick about four inches long in the
front OF the lower plane to mark the
encounter.
AS the sun was setting, however, he
anchored his craft by two seventy-fivs
pound anchors a hundred yards from
shore. where she will swing until she is
fixed UP for her trial flight to-day.
Previous to the launching the sea-
plane. which Is said to be the lightest
OF its size ever constructed. was chris
tened with American champagne by
Capt. Sundstedt's fancee. Miss Erna
Steinway. Dashing the bottle against
one Of the pontoons, she cried:
Sunrise May you never set
Miss Steinway was particularly anx-
ious to impress upon every one the fact
that 1t was an American seaplane,
driven by an American pilot-Capt.
Sundstedt. although born in Sweden,
took out his first papers two years ago
on an American enterprise.
Army Pilot VIII Help.
The United States Army will have .
share in the glory of the flight IL It Is
successful. for Capt. Sundstedt has Sc
aviator. as his relief pilot to accom-
pany him on the expedition He also
may be accompanied by two mechanics.
W. Hardig and +. Baatz. Lieut.. Mi
CELL got his air training in the French
army before the United States entered
the war For the last eight months he
had been located at Mineola, where he
on wireless telephony as applied to air
planes. He said yesterday he had Just
been discharged from active service.
Capt. Sundstedt explained that al.
though the two tons of gasolene he will
carry are barely enough to last the
plane from st. Johns to the Irish coast,
wind currents which are constantly
blowing at fifty miles an hour from Lab
rador to the British Isles will. he feels
sure. increase his speed Of eighty miles
an hour to we'll over 100 and save much
fuel. He thinks no can fly as far as
London without stopping to refill his
Many army and navy aviators v.sited
Bayonne yesterday. as did civilian ex-
perts. including Frederick W. Barker.
president Of the Aeronautical Society OF
America Charles w. Howell, vice-pres-
ident; Grover c. Looming, inventor OF
the fast Looming monoplane: Christie
pher Lake. nephew of Simon Lake,
the submarine inventor: Capt. Carl Han
son. who represents tho hacker of tho
enterprise: Christopher Hannevig. a
fnancier and Paul, Charles
and William Witteman. in whose plant
in Newark most OF the plane was con-
Most OF those pdesent. after hearing
that the weight OF the machine was
only 1000 pounds. while her wing
spread is 100 and her horse power 40.
expressed the opinion that she could,