Evening star., 1924-08-12

ones that are having good time.
The frank, carefree manner of the
Americans has endeared them to the
hearts of these plain folk up here, and
they are always being invited to some
banquet or festivity. Yesterday, for
instance. four of them were the guests
of the Icelandic premier at dinner.
Wear Smart Uniforms.
When the Americans arrived at the
appointed place. the premier was sur
prised to find Lieut.. Smith and
Lieut.. Nelson all shined up in smart
looking uniforms, Sam Browne belts
and glittering wings, while Arnold
and Ogden appeared wearing partly
golf togs and partly Army uniforms.
Later it was explained that Arnold's
uniform was locked up in his ship,
far out in the harbor, when the invi-
tation was received. In a brotherly
spirit Ogden agreed to keep him COM
pany in manner of dress.
The Icelanders are plain people and
they like spirit of that kind. That
is why they have taken these husky
Americans right to their hearts and
virtually adopted them during their
enforced stay at Reykjavik, and that
is why they find genuine pleasure in
constantly lowering around them,
talking to them and eagerly respond
ing to any request the Yankee airmen
may make.
Ashore there is a veritable Ameri-
can warehouse, jammed full of
things the Air Service thought its
heroes might need. There are two
brand new Liberty motors, three
propellers, complete set of tools, two
sets of pontoonS, gasoline. oil and
a hundred other things necessary to
make up the equipment of an air
plane. And each of the boxes con-
tanning these supplies is lined with
spruce so that If it were necessary
to rebuild any of the wooden parts
of the planes the cases could be
knocked apart.
Use Some Supplies.
Similar equipment has been wait
ing at almost every stop, all pre-
pared the same way. One of the Lib
erty motors here has already been
about stripped of it's accessories by
the pilots of the New Orleans and
Chicago, the remaining planes Nell
son needed the oil pump and some
other things. Smith helped himself
to pretty nearly what was left and
even dug into one set Of pontoons
for a horizontal rod to replace one he
Hdu DTOhSH OH HIS snip.
Yesterday 1 spent about an hour
aboard Lieut.. Smiths ship. the Chi
cago, while she was anchored in 1s
feet of water in the inner harbor.
Arnold was busy meantime rubbing
down her aluminium forepart with
gasoline. To sit in the roomy cock
pit, faced by a score of shining in
struments with which he helps guide
himself and his brother aviators
around the world, gives one a most
comfortable feeling of security about
this venture.
The sense Of humor developed by
these intrepid airmen would be hard
for a layman, used to carefully
marked streets and roads, to UNDER
stand. One thought 1t was a huge
joke to relate what a hard time he
had finding his way on the hop from
Hornafjord by using a map some one
had given him. No layman could ever
had followed the course by means OF
the map but the pilot said he got
real thrill when he looked over the
side of his ship. noticed this place or
that and then tried to find it on the
map.
Arnold's Narrow Escape. -.
But the greatest fun comes when
they are about to land. AS the har-
Dor heaves into view, then begins
the little game Of where are the
mooring buoys tonight" SO far the
pilots have never failed to sight their
buoys. As the plane sets. down on
the water, the officer In the back seat
climbs out and lies prone on one OF
the pontoons, the great propeiIers
swirling sure death about his head.
His duty is to grab for the buoy as
the ship swings past, and false
move on his part would mean certain
death. Arnold had q narrow escape
in the harbor Of Calcutta When he
grabbed the buoy there, the. ship was
taxyinE at greater speed than. he
suspected and he was hurled into the
water as the plane darted on by.