Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-27

1.ieuts Lester j. Maitland and AL
bert Hagenberger on their nonstop
fight to Honolulu. Rumors that
Gen. Patrick might make the
flight were heard in Army circles
and when asked il he would go,
the general replied: Il would pre-
fe~ not to answer that question at
this time"
By the Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, June 27.-
Tested, groomed and ready for flight
two airplanes in the three-cornered
race to bridge the Pacific by air be-
tween here and Hawaii, today awaited
the zero hour, while the third re-
mained to be tried out before the
takeoff
The big three-engined Fokker, in
which Lieuts. Lester j. Maitland ana
Albert Hegenberger will make the at
tempt in behalf of the Army, was be-
ing held up until the arrival of Maj.
Gen. Mason NJ. Patrick, chief of the
Army Air Service, who, the Examiner
fdeclares. will be a passenger. Gen.
Patrick was due here some time to-
day, but on what train he is speeding
toward the city cOulu Hol pe leoA liou'
Grace Moves Yelled.
In Honolulu the Navy threw :.
cloak of secrecy about the prepara-
itions of Richard Grace, former Naval
tReserve officer, whose transpaclnc
.plane was locked in a guarded hangar
at Pearl Harbor after having made an
apparently successful test fight yes
terday The time of the contemplated
Il 40 I'm
Ernest Smith, local civilian flyer,
had his plane ready for test flights
today after working feverishing with
a large force of mechanics. BY SET
ting a strenuous pace he expected to
complete all preliminaries and be
ready for the take-off before sundown.
In spite OF the fact that Maitland
and Hegenberger announced they do
not contemplate a take-off before to-
morrow, the impression that they
would make an earlier start than that
caused Smiths forces to work at top
speed.
Smith Likely First.
Although the chances of Grace ana
his navigator, Lieut.. B. Roger, for
take-off from the Hawaii end today
were unknown here, Smith was con-
ceded to have the best chance to be
whether or not Gen. Patrick accom-
panies the Army flyers, they must
await his arrival before they can go,
It was said.
The Oakland municipal airport,
where a special 7,000-foot runway has
been constructed, was ready to ac-
commodate both the Army plane and
Smith for their take-offs. Maitland
and Hegenberger inspected the run
nj in
dition.
The Weather Bureau promised head
winds for take-offs either here or in
the islands today, declaring there
would be a fresh east breeze from
Hawaii to the halfway mark, and a
stiff northwest breeze from there to
the mainland with fairly clear weather
at this end.
i, Gro Winds Encountered.
Lieut.. Maitland, accompanied by
Lieut.. Hegenberger, who will be the
navigator. flew to Oakland airport
yesterday in an Army service plane
from Crissy Field. They tried the
long runway twice and announced
probably would present a serious
problem. With these winds, it was
explained. the Fokker would prob
ably not b. able to take off with its
weight of 13,500 pounds.
This announcement was followed by
another that if similar winds pre-
vailed consistently, the Army men
might go to Mather Field, Sacramen-
to, for the hop-off.
Thousands of automobiles brought
visitors to the Oakland airport. Police
reserves were unable to keep the
crowds from the runway, and Smith s
camp, where mechanics and their
helpers worked feverishly to straighter
out details of motor connections, in
strument installation and wing at
tachments.
Smiths plane has gasoline capac
ity of $50 gallons. Lieut.. Maitland'S
plane is designed to carry 1,04O gal
Ions. Each expects 10 be able tc
travel 5000 miles. The distance tc
Honolulu is 2,400 miles.
Walter f. Parkin, inspector for the
aeronautical branch of the United
States Department of Commerce, ap
peared at the Smith camp TO inspect
the civilian monoplane. He said he
was particularly interested in the
placement of the main gasoline tank;
as these constituted the principa
weight and would have 10 be so placed
as TO permit a perfect balance.
Parkin declared prior to his appear
the flight before the Department o
Commerce had approved the plane, h
and his hackers would be subjected Il
$500 fine and Smith would forfei
his pilots license.
Could Beat Army.
After a talk with Smiths hackers
Parkin said they could apply TO tn
Commerce Department for an expert
mental license and proceed with tn
flight Immediately If the department
approved. This was understood I
have been done.
Smiths supporters declared tha
even if the Army plane beat him to tn
hopoff, Smith and his Los Angelo
navigator, Charles II. Carter, coul
give them a six-hour start and bea
them to Hawaii. They announced
however, that if Grace started fror
Honolulu before Smith was able I
take off, the flight from Oakland woul
be delayed pending the result of tn
eastward fight.
GOAL is 300 MILES LONG.