Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-18
THREE ]. 6 ARMY
PLANES TAKE: OFF
IN WORLD FLIGHT

SAN FRANCISCO, March IL
The around-the-worl army f1iers
passed over Monolith on the south
ern slope of the Tehachapi noun
tains at 1851 a. M, the station agent
at Monolith reported to the Southern
Pacific headquarters here.
The start of the 30,000-mile flight
around the world, while not under
ideal flying conditions. was favor
able to the purposes of the flight,
test of flying conditions in all eli
mates.
The first leg Of the flight, to Sac
ramento, Cal, usually open under
ideal flying conditions, today pre-
scented a wall of clouds hanging
upon the Tehachapi pass and appar-
emily covering the whole San Joa-
quin valley.
The three world cruisers took to
the air like three great American
eagles soaring high to show to the
world that the American eagles or
the army air service will be the first
to circumnavigate the globe. Two
other nations have failed in this at
tempt. Today the world flying crew
declared they will not fail.
Major f. l.. Martin was the first
to get away. Lieutenant Leigh
Wade. photographer of the flight,
was the second tiier to hop and Lieu
tenant Lowell II. Smith, pilot of the
flight, was third to take off.
The world cruisers circled around
Glover field for altitude as large
crowd waved farewell. They flew
in formation with Major Martin to
the front-ands Lieutenants Smith and
Wade parallel to the rear.
Lieutenant CoIones William E. Gill
more, air officer of the ninth corps
area, led seventeen airplanes from
Crissy Field, San Francisco, as es-
cert to the world fliers.
Conditions Favorable
Late last night Major Frederick
l.. Martin, of Chanute field, Illinois,
commander of the around-the-WOrld
flight, declared that from mocha i
cal standpoint all conditions were
favorable for the globe-circling jour
ney.
First Lieutenant Eric =. Nelson,
of Dayton, Ohio. flight enginee g
officer, who flew the fourth plane
to San Diego yesterday for compass
adjustment, was not expected back
before noon today.
The flight starting today is not a
race around the world, but is pio-
neering exploration trip, carefully
mapped out to determine a practical
airway around the world, and to
obtain scientific data on the effect
of various climates on modern air
craft.
No Spectacular Flying
There will be no spectacular
dashes although many legs Of the
great tourney will be replete with
thrills in the variety of climate eX-
perienced from Arctic to tropic vari-
atiOns.
During the four or more months
Of the flight, the aviators will be out
of sight of land only four times.
The longest jump will be some seven
hundred miles and stations have
been established around the earth,
with experienced American army
filters already there, or in the more
remote ones, en- route. From these
stations information will be relayed
back to earlier points to provide the
filters with complete information on
terrain and meteOrOlogy.
It will be a journey with the sun,
so arranged that the most desirable
climatic conditions in each section
may be met. The Arctic region is
accessible only in the spring, there
fore it is best suited to go through
the Aleutian islands across the
Pacific in April. This time will bring
the filters into the far eastern lit
toral in time to clear through Asia
before the summer typhoon season
and then through the Greenland,
Iceland region before the winter sea
son starts.
Route of Flight
The flight will be up the Pacific
coast to Alaska, with an overnight
stop at Sacramento, Cal. tonight,
another stop at Vancouver Barracks,
Wash, Tuedsay, and a sojourn Of
several days at Seattle beginning
Wednesday. for the purpose OF
changing landing gear for pontoOns.
Thence the cruisers will fly over
British Columbia to Alaska. across
the AIeutian islands to the kuriles
north of Japan, down through Japan,
across Chosen to China, down the
Chinese coast through French IndO
China. Burma, India to Persia over
Mesopotamia and Syria over the
Holy Land. through Turkey over
Rumania. Serbia. Austria, Germany,
France. England, Ireland and over
the Orkneys and Farce islands TO
Iceland, Greenland. Labrador. down
through Canada and the New Eng
land coast to Washington and thence
across the country to Glover Field.
Eighteen army and navy planes,
under command of Lieutenant Col
onel Gilmore, chief Of air service
i'm the ninth corps area. were to hop
off with the world fliers and accom-
rany them to Sacramento.