Evening star., 1924-08-10
BY LIEUT.. r. J. BROWN, JR.
Chairman. World-FIight Com mittee.


When the world flyers had reached
Scapa Flow, they again found them
selves surrounded by conditions
which reminded them of their ex-
periences in passing up the Alaskan
coast from Seattle before the cross
ing of the Pacific. For two DAYS
heavy blankets of fog obscured the
ocean, and it was impossible for them
to make the rapid flight to Iceland
that they had anticipated.
On Saturday, August 2, all of the
ships guarding the path which would
be taken by the world flyers from
kirkwall to Iceland reported excel
lent flying conditions, and Lieut..
Smith and his comrades made ready
Tor the 550-mile dash across the
stormy North Atlantic. Lieuts. Wade
ana Nelson had no difficulty in get
tlns or the water, but Lieut. Smith,
on account of his heavily loaded ship,
uid nave some trouble, though he
succeeded after several trials in get
ting into the air. The three airplanes
had travelled scarcely more than 25
miles before they ran into heavy
banks of fog which had rolled in
from the sea, making it impossible
Ill
smith and Wade, thinking this con-
dit1on a general one, turned their
ships about and headed back to their
base on Scapa Flow: Lieut.. Nelson, in
Ine absence of signal from Smith,
continued through the fog, relying
upon his compass, hoping that he
would soon fly out of il, which for
tunately he was able to do, the con-
dition, as it CHANGED. being only local
and lasting 20 minutes After he had
succeeded in clearing the fog he
looked around for his companions,
thinking they had either preceded
MN or were following him, so he con-
tlnued his course to Iceland.
Message From Ship.
While half way between the Ork-
neys and the Faroes, Nelson picked
up the destroyer BillingsIey, and by
this time, much concerned about
Wade and Smith. he decided to con-
nrm mis- conviction that they had re-
turned to Scapa Flow. He according
~ dropped a message on the deck of
her whistle if the other ships had not
passed. On receiving one blast from
the whistle of the destroyer, Nelson
continued on his way to Iceland,
where he landed after about seven
and one-half hours in the air. 1t is
particularly significant that Nelson, a
Scandinavian-Ame should bring
to this land of the Vikings their first
visitation of aircraft
Nhlle Nelson waited in the little
harbor of Hornafford Wade and
smith, disconsSate over their failure
to fly to Iceland. prepared to make
the jump the next day.
Wade Forced Down,
On Saturday, August 3, the Chica go
ana the Boston took off for Iceland
'" hen about 130 miles north of Kirk
wall Lieut.. Wade was forced to land,
due to broken oil pump. After he
mad landed Lieut.. Smith, the flight
commander, circled over him in an
endeavor 10 find out what the trouble
was, and after a series of signals
learned from Wade that his motor
was permanently disabled and that
without help it would be impossible
for him to proceed. Smith started in
the direction of Thorshavn, in the
Faroe Islands, where he intended to
land and prevail upon vessels in that
harbor to go to the assistance of
Wade. and further, to communicate te
the news of Wade's plight to the yes
sells of the United States Navy which
were patrolling these waters Before
arriving at Thorshavn, however, he
sighted the Billingsley, and after
communicating to her Wade's exact