Evening star., 1924-06-15
BY HARRY l.. ROGERS.

r NDAUNTED by two failures
last year, Lieut. Russell l.
Maughan. Army air service
~ speed pilot, again will at
tempt to fly from Mitchell Field. y.
Y, to San Francisco between sunrise
and sunset
Already the approval of the War
Department has been obtained, and,
though the actual date of the flight
has not been set. it is certain that
the attempt will be made some time
this month. Air service engineers
and mechanics at Kelly Field, Tex.
where Lieut.. MauEhan is now sta
toned. are at work on the construc-
ton Of a special high-spe plane
which air service officials believe will
be even better adapted to the trans
continental fight than that used by
Lieut.. Vaughan in his previous at
tempts.
The new plane, however, will be
virtually of the same type as the
Curtiss machine used last year and
will be equipped with a 12-cylinder,
low compression motor Of 400 horse
power, capable of propelling the craft
at an average speed OF at least $50
miles an hour.
Numerous improvements which
have been worked out by air service
engineers during the past year will
be adapted to the new ship. with the
result, according to air service OFF,
Gals, that the handicap against the
pilot will be considerably reduced.
For example, in the forthcoming
flight Lieut.. Vaughan will have the
advantage of the recently developed
earth induction compass, which is re-
garded by experts as the most eff
cient instrument of its kind now in
existence. This compass will enable
him to fly at much higher attitudes,
where greater speed may be attained.
with assurance that he can maintain
his course without relying on land
marks.
Another innovation calculated to
lessen the risks Of the attempt. as
we'll as to increase the efficiency Of
the pilot and add to his personal COM
fort, consists of the extension of ex-
haust pipes from the motor along
the fuselage well to the rear of the
are prevented from flying into the
pulsion Of these fumes in close prox-
unity to the aviator has proved a
source Of discomfort and even actual
danger, especially in the case of high
speed planes.
Lieut. Maughan himself requested
that the plane be equipped with a
high-compression rather than a low
compression motor. but after thor
ough study of the problem air service
engineers decided that a high-com-
preston engine would be more likely
to heat up" under such strain and
that greater efficiency could be OBJ
tanned from a motor of the other type.
Maughan's request, therefore, was de-
MED.
The distance from the Long Island
flying field to San Francisco over the
route mapped out for the flight is
approximately 2,s7o miles. This route
contemplates stops at Dayton, Ohio;
at St. Joseph, Mo-; Cheyenne, Wyo-
and Salduro, Utah, where fueling and
repair stations are to be established
With the selection OF a date in
June, when by the calendar the maxi
mum daylight period is reached.
Lieut. Maughan may expect to have
the advantage of at least eighteen
flying hours.
When he made application to the
chief of air service for permission
to attempt the flight he set forth
that he expected to leave Mitchell
Field at am and hand At San Fran
cisco not later than 8 Pm, a period
Of seventeen hours, to which should
be added the three hours gxined by
reason Of the change in time between
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Fly
ing the Curtiss pursuit type plane at
an average speed of $50 miles an
hour he calculated that the distance
of 2,670 miles could be covered in
1877 hours, the remaining timo be-
ing consumed by thirty-minute stops
at the four stations named, leaving
1.3 hours for any minor repatrs that
might be necessary.
Maughan estimated that, barring
| accidents, he would cover the dis
tance Of $40 miles from New York
to Dayton by 7:15 am: a similar dis
tance to St Joseph, Mo-, by HIS An
central time; $40 miles to Cheyenne
by ESQ pm. mountain time: 470
miles to Sa1duro by 4:45 pm, west
ern time, and tho last leg Of the Jour
| ney, 42o miles to Crissy Field. San
Francisco. by p.m., western time.
On his nrst attempt, July Of last
year, Lient Maughan was forced to
land in a COW pasture at Avenue City.
Mo-, about ten miles from his second
scheduled stopping point, 81 Joseph.
A61A1eucnd- landing 5aA canseA- h