Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-05-13
Duplicates Byrd's Feat

New York, May 12.-(P)-'The air
ship Norge, second aircraft in his
tory to fly over the North Pole, was
on its way to a landing field at
Nome, Alaska, today, the 10th birth
day of Lincoln Ellsworth, one of the
expeditions leaders.
The great balloon duplicated with
in three days the feat of the three
engined airplane, Miss Josephine
Ford" piloted by Lieut.. Compander
Richard +. Byrd, with the difference
that Commander Byrd returned to
Kings Bay, Spitzbergen. in 1900
mile nonstop flight while the Norge
continued a 1000 mile journey to-
ward Nome.
Road Amundsen. commander of
the third expedition TO reach the
North Pole and first human being
to reach the South Pole, wired yes
terday to Ralph Lomen, Norwegian
consul at Nome, to have 100 men
ready to lower the dirigible. He said
of progress by radio and the con-
sui had four anchors. known as
dead men," placed in readiness to
hold the ship down.
The Norge left Spitzbergen at 10
a. m, Norwegian time, or a. m,
daylight saving time yesterday and
sailed over the Pole with the IL
members of its crew at l a. M, to-
day, Norwegian time, or o'clock
last night. eastern standard time.
Commander Byrd saw the Norge
off, but remained at Kings Bay to
prepare in the words of Lieut.. AL
ton N. Parker of his party, to lin
vestigate every foot of real estate
near the Pole for Uncle Sam.
The Norge is 34S feet long, was
inflated with 10000 cubic metres of
hydrogen at Kings Ba'v and loaded
with 5000 Kilograms of benZine for
fuel. It's best speed is 81 miles an
hour. 1t was built in 1898 by the
State Airship Factory at Rome as
the NJ for the Italian air service,
and originally had luxuious spe-
cial cabin for the king of Italy. 1t
carried the Italian flag at its stern
beside that of Norway on it's trip
from Rome to Pulham, England, Os-
10, Norway. Leningrad, Russia, Spitz-
bergen and thence to the Pole.
The Norge, a non-rigid ship with
a metal keel. is described as a "blimp
with a backbone. The metal keel
runs from stem to stern. and on 1t
is an Is inch runway called forward
of midships. The vessel has three
motors and is steered by a wheel
like another ship. Sun compasses in
the control cabin were used to check
against the magnetic compasses,
which are apt to be misleading so
near the magnetic pole. The ship
was equipped Wit: a sled, tents, and
other essentials for possible forced
landing.
Amundsen. who is one of Norways
national heroes, was beaten to the
North Pole by Robert f. Peary. He
set out for the South Pole by dog
sled, reaching 1t Dec. IA, 1911. beat
ing four rival expeditions from as
many countries. His nephew, Lieut.
Gustave Amundsen. of the Norweg-
ian navy, is helmsman of the
Norge. Roald Amundsen last year
made the first attempt to reach the
North Pole by airplane. but failed.
ViIhjalmur Stefansson, Canadian
explorer now living in New York,
expressed delight that the Byrd,
Ellsworth and Amundsen expedition
are realizing a prophecy of his made
three years ago, that airships and
dirigibles flying over the top of the
world will open Nthe shortest and
most practicable routes between the
eastern ana western newspapers.
Twenty-Five men have now seen
the North Pole-six in the Peary
expedition; Commander Byrd ana
his mechanic and II on the Norge.
The Norge reached the pole in Is
hours from Kings Bay. Commander
Byrd required Is hours and 80 min
utes to go to the Pole and back to
Kings Bay in his airplane and
Peary, using dog sleds. took eight
months. for the trip to the Pole and
back to civilization.
The Norge Travelled at approx
mately fifty miles. an hour. and it
was estimated that if she kept this
pace, she would reach Point Barrow,
en- route to Rome, at 10. P. NJ, to-
night eastern standard time