The Red Cloud chief., 1921-01-27


= - 40 flying hours. The four Ola
( S planes were flying their original
\ S1 motors upon their return. The
> flight ranks with any aerial event
{, ! attempted anywhere. The bird
men flew over ut least 1000 miles
CLI of virgin territory, without land
w marks or landing fields. They
landed fifty times on strange fields often almost
impossible as landing places.
The British last spring attempted to fly from
Egypt to the cape, over the wds of Africa. One
pilot reached the destination, but only after he
had replaced his machine and motors, and after
much delay and Inconvenience.
In the trnnscontnental reliability test last
trmn. Lieut.. Bclyn Maynard, the winner broke
his motor near Omaha. and had to change IL en-
tirely before proceeding. Only one Liberty motor
succeeded In making the journey both ways.
Compared to the nonstop flight made by the
Englishman, John AcOck, which gained for him
recognition from the British government in the
form of knighthOOd, most fers will agree that the
Alaskan flight Is greater feat. The Alaskan
flight was a steady grind Of over three months
duration.
The personnel of the expedition was as follows:
Plane No. l. Capt. st. Clair Street, in command
Of expedition; Sergt. Edmund Henriques. mechan-
clan; No. 2, plloted in turn by First Lieut.. Cliff
ford G. Mutt and Second Lieut.. Eric G. Nelson
engineering officer; No. 3. Lieut.. c. H. Cumrine
Photographic officer, Sergt. A. l. Vierra; No. T.
Lieut. II. c. Kirkpatrick, information officer, Jo-
seph +. English. Capt. Howard Il. Douglas, went
ahead Of the flyers, making preliminary arrange
ments and blazing the trail.
Here are some closeup" pen pictures secured
from Lieutenant Mutt:
ave cut across the international line when we
landed Mt Portal. From Portal to Saskatoon was
the only leg Of the journey in which had
the wind with u.s. We made the $40 miles I'm
three hours and at Saskatoon got our first taste
of that Canadian hospitality which added so tre-
mendously to the enjoyment Of the long journey.
Almost One-third of the population, though Amerl-
can born are now Canadians In spirit.
about 100 miles from Saskatoon left the
prairie country, and got into a region of forests
and lakes, with rolling hills, some Of them 600
feet high. At Edmonton, Captain Streets ma
chine had leak in the gas TANK and we were
held up there for three days, getting that patched
up. The people mt Edmonton are intensely in
terested in aviation as means of developing the
country They talked of getting planes to survey
the Peace river country to the north Of them, a
big stretch Of arabic land wholly undevel-
oped, pack mules being the only means Of trans
pOrtation. The transportation to mines of the
region also offered another opportunity for avi.
alton to exemplfy Its usefulness.
"Our first attempt to leave Edmonton was I'M
successful because of lOw-hanging clouds. Taking
off at 200 feet, had to drop to 300, and when
about 100 miles out, Street motiOned us to re-
turn. The next day. in spite OF a stiff wind, we
made the jump to Jasper park. This Is a Cana
dian national park 400 miles long by 100 wide,
| Astounding with game and fish. Here We found
one of the best landing fields on the whole route.
Colonel Rogers warden Of the park, met and
extended courteses and hospitality. Tents were
provided for our accommodation with a Chinese
cook in the mess tent Gas and oil were the
field, and after cleaning up our "busses" and get
ting everything In shape for the next day, felt
decidedly as II we needed q bath. We set out,
expecting to take a dip in the Athabasca river.
but were warned that we should find the water
too cold; so with guide, we set out for little
lake about half mile away, which, we were told
was a good bathing place. When we were ready
for the dip somebody stuck his foot In the water
to try the temperature. Well, all can say is,
II the Athabasca river Ia colder than that little
lake was, then it's record.breaker for temper
atvre But 1t was choice of two evils. We were
req dy for a bath; either had to get In the
water and take it, cold II was, or be literally
| eaten up by mosquitoes. We chose the water 1t
| is impossible to conceive the multiplicity and
ferocity Of the mosquitoes in this region and. in
| deed to the very northernmOst limit of our flight.
| They almost block traffic, they numerous,
and they certainly block progress, preventing work
| at some seasons Of the year.
"Soon after the hopoff at Jasper. Captain
Streets machine caught on fire. caused by the oil
| tanks being too full and Overfiowing down the
| exhaust pipe. Henriques, who was driving put
the plane into n side slip and was going to land
| In the river. but as they descended the change
of balance stopped the flow of oil and the fire ex
| tinguished itself. We got into Prince George just
| ahead of a rainstorm, and without Street. We
| lighted flares to aid him In finding the landing
| field. Outline of the field was, however of course
| indefinite so when Street alighted he came In
| with great speed and overshot, rolling out of the
| field into cutover stretch where he struck a
stump that took off about four feet of the end of
] his left wing breaking both main spars and tear
ing all the ribs out also the left half OF his hori
| zontal stabilizer and the aileron. To get a wing
| sent to us In the quickest possible space of time
| would take eight days from Mather field. Sacra-
| mento. Cal. the nearest point available So we