Evening star., 1923-12-26
ASKS EARLY START
lin NAW'S AIR TOUR
Polar Exploration Coming
Summer, Nome as Base,
Admiral Moffett Urges.

HuIItli al MViiCll OIYCSs
The Navy's polar exploration flight
should be attempted during the COM
ing summer with the dirigible Shen-
andoah, and Nome, Alaska, should be
used as the main operation base, ac-
cording to recommendations in the
report Of the naval Arctic air board.
headed by Admiral william A. Moffet.
chief Of the bureau of aeronautics, to
Seer etary DENLY who has approved it
subject to possible later modification.
Advance parties will be sent to
Seward and other northern Alaska
points as soon as possible for pre-
liminary Astrological work.
The board emphasized that the mis-
sion of the expedition would be "ex-
ploration of the north polar regions,
detailed plan of operations worked
out, therefore, contemplates numer :
GUS flights by the Shenandoah on
mapping and charting cruises to "es-
polar air route from western Eu-
rope to Japan "over the top of the
world"
Tankers Recommended.
The board suggested that two vessels,
preferably tankers, equipped with moor
! ing masts. six planes equipped for land
/ ing on ice or water, permanent moor
| ing mast at Nome and mooring facili-
| ties at certain other northern points be
| employed. The ships with three planes
would go to Nome and to Spitzbergen,
| where preliminary flights for Astrological
! observations will be made. When all
! Is ready the Shenandoah will fly to
Nome by way of mooring masts at
! Fort Worth, San Diego, Puget Sound
and Nome. The exploration OF the
| north polar region will include sys, .
tematic search of the unknown area
| north of Alaska.
| Selection OF the Nome base was made
because ice conditions make 1t avail
| able TO shipping as rule during the
! first week in June. The distance to the
| pole from Nome via Cape Prince of
| Wales is 1860 nautical miles. AT a
speed of 35 knots. the Shenandoah Will
have a safe cruising capacity of 4.25O
! nautical miles with 10 per cent mar
! gin of extra radius.
| Plans for using the Shenandoah call
! for helium gas imitation, removal OF one
! motor to provide living space for the
! crew, use Of water recovery" to COM
! pensate loss of weight through con-
| sumption of fuel and reduction OF Dal-
| last by $500 pounds.
i Nome's Advantages Cited.
! Nome's proximity to the unexplored
! area and to American bases was
| pointed out, as we'll as the fact that
| it is American territory. has some To-
| cal facilities and has good communi-
! cation with the south; The plan &c
| supplement the base with two vessels
| equipped with mooring masts, 1t was
| added, was due to the fact that such
! a vessel might select place more
| sheltered than Nome, where the Shen-
| andoah could lie in bad weather. and
4 g. ho hn h.
| ed forward to the edge of the pack
! ice, reducing the distance to the
{, ground to BE explored,
| The. second tanker equipped with
( a mooring mast will be sent to SpitZ-
| bergen on the opposite side of the
| pole for use in the event that the
! Shenandoah, after reaching the pole
/ should face strong winds from the
! south on d return trip to Nome. In
! which event she could go to SPITE
| bergen, travelling with the wind;
! An additional standby" three
| point mooring at Point Barrow, clos
! est to the Pole, also Is recommended
/ to be used in case OF emergency
! Recomme ndation is made that the
| coast guard cutter Bear be stationed
/ at Point Barrow during the flight
! with as many men from the Nome
\ base as can be berthed in her fol
! the purpose of hauling the Shenan-
/; doah down for refueling'' should the
! need for this base arise.
Reserve Zeppelin Suggested.
| The board also recommends thai
the zR-3, the Zeppelin now building
| for the Navy in Germany. stand
I by at Lakehurst. n. j., in reserve.
| Among necessary new equipment to
, be installed in the Shenandoah the
| board found that radio communica-
| tion instruments of maximum range
1 would be necessary as well as mag
| netic, radio and "gyro" compasses, the
radio compass being intended to per-
NIT the ship to take compass bear
| ings from transmitting stations In
! America and Europe for the purpose
Of locating herself accurately while
1 in the polar regions.
| A southern route across the United
States on the way to Nome was Sc
ilected for the Shenandoah because a
i direct flight from Lakehurst to Seat
| tie would require the ship to cross
\ the Rocky mountains at an eleva-
| tion Of more than 5000 feet. At that
| elevation, data attached to the re.
| port shows, helium gas expands 2;
/, per cent, which would compel the
| .'yalvfng'' or release of enough gas
! to protect the ship against the burst
ern route. via Fort Worth and Sar
Diego. presents no serious difficulties
as to attitudes.
| Long Flights COnsidered.
The board took into consideration
that on long flights over the arti:
4 regions, consumption OF fuel woult
| greatly tighten the ship and force
her to unsatisfactory attitudes un:
less valuable helium gas was released
70 reduce her buoyancy. The repor
shows that the water recovery
/ system Of meeting this difficulty ha:
| already been evolved. 1t consists Of
recovering water from the waste
gases Of the motors of greater weigh
| Il needed than the weight Of the fue
! consumed.
Data attached to the report shows
|! that while over period of years thu
| average wind force in July ant
August at Nome is miles per hour
there is always the possibility Of oc
casional sixty-mile gales. The Shen
andoah could safely ride out such 8
gale while free in the air" and will
| suficfent gasoline but would need tt
! come down afterwards for refueline
and the standby base at Point Bar
row as we'll as the floating base OF
a tanker were projected by the board
to meet such conditions.