Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-07-20
MACMILLAN TO
START HIS PLANES
MIDDLE AUGUST

The naval planes of the Macmillan
Arctic expedition probably will not
take off for their fight over the
polar sea in search of unknown land
| until after the middle of August, but
should complete their work by about
Sept. l, according to advices to the
navy department from It, Com.
Byrd, head of the navy section of the
expedition.
The department in an announce
ment today embodying advices from
Commander Byrd said that while the
| main base would be at Etah, Green
land, it was uncertain whether the
advance flying base would be at Cape
Columbia in Grant Land or at Cape
Thomas Hubbard on AXel Heiburg
Island. An intermediate base also
will be established midway between
Etah and the base on the polar sea
|, where supplies will be kept for
emergency use.
After Etah is reached, it was esti-
mated that more than two weeks
would be required to assemble the
planes, give them test flights and
form the advanced base. Plans of
the expedition and the scientific
preparations that have been made
were outlined by Commander Byrd
as follows:
1.-The base on the polar sea will
be either at Cape Columbia, Grant
Land, or Cape Thomas Hubbard,
AXel Heiburg, depending upon which
seems to afford the best landing
places en- route. 1t is known that
there are landing facilities at the
two above mentioned capes.
ITO load an airplane to the limit
Is hard on it's engine as too many
revolutions per minute are required
to go: the proper speed of the plane,
causing lessened reliability of engine
performance.
Therefore an intermediate base
will be formed between the main
base at Etah Cor near Etah) and the
base on the polar sea. This base
should be midway between the two
bases or about $50 miles from Etah.
Ammunition, firearms, engine fuel
and food will be put at both bases
and in addition the base on the
polar sea will have small tent.
some food and spare parts, radio
operator and radio set. smoke
bombs, field glasses. primus stove,
kerosene, planes stakes and lashlng
for bad weather and one Eskimo ana
dog. The Eskimo and dog are taken
along as an emergency measure IN
case it becomes necessary to live on
the country. At least two months
supply of food will be taken to the
base on the polar sea.
"If the polar sea base Is put at
Cane Thomas Hubbard, the nrst
long flight over the polar sea VIII
probably be $40 degrees true course.
This line is spiral but it does not
get very ominous until very near the
pole. It passes over problematical |
Crocker Land-the land which
Peary thought he saw from Cape
Thomas Hubbard, but which has
been called a mirage. The second
course will probably be 294 deg.
true. From Cape Columbia the flrst
course will probably be Isl deg. true
and the second 30o IL deg. true. 1t
is not practicable to attempt to pre-
dict any course other than those, I,
due to the impossibility of fore
knowledge of conditions to be en-
countered.
Great attention will be given to-
ward informing the department by
radio of the character and course OF
every flight prior to its start.
III OTueE " SlSCI lIlC iiliV 6A'NA
above. variations as high as $50 deg.
will be encountered and changes of
variationssof about ) deg. will have
to be made every 20 miles of travel.
The ground speed therefore will
have to be carefully calculated with
the course and distance indicator
disc after having obtained the wind
drift angle from the drift indicator.
The deviation in the steering COM
passes of the amphibian planes has
been found to run as high as so deg.
due to the location of the switches.
These compasses (if they work at
alb will have to be checked during
the flight with the navy 5-inch boat
compass which has been placed in
the rear cockpit.
IF neither of these magnetic COM
passes can be used due to the small
component of the earth's horizontal
magnetism Gas is likely to be the
case) the earth induction compass
will be used. This compass is much
more sensitive than the magnetic
compass and pro ably will be use
full.
"All compasses will be checked by
the sun compass and when the sun
is bright this compass may be used
entirely, as the other compasses are
subject to the errors of the theo- |
retical variation which will be out as
much as five or 10 deg. from the
actual variation. In this case the
sun compass will be set to the mid
die meridian of the area to be ira
versed, for that will give approx
mately a straight line and only one
course to steer and the only change
will be that of leeway Then every
~ miles the magnetic compasses will
be checked with the sun COMPASS
and their variations recorded SO that
II the sun goes behind a cloud, the
turn can be made with the EARTH
induction or the other compasses.
AS an aid in navigating a small
amount Of a solution of perman-I
ganate of potash will be dropped on
the snow every Is minutes.
AT Etah the wings cannot be put
on two of the planes on the steam
ship Peary on account of lack of
space. Erecting the planes will
therefore be major operation. APP
10 days of steady work
will be required to erect planes,
make test radio flights, reconnoiter-
ing flights, etc. Another week ,(if
everything goes welD will be requir-