The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1927-08-26
STEAMER SEES
AVIATOR, RADIO
MESSAGE SAYS
Plane Flying at Altitude of
About 1000 Feet and
Headed SQuthward
OTHER REPORTS LACKING
Georgia Man Left Brunswick
Yesterday on NONSTOP
Trip to Brazil

st. Petersburg, Fla, Aug. 2e.
-(AP)- A radio message from
station \4-AQF. Nassau. picked up
here BY the Financial Journals
40 meter wireless station today,
said that the Port Of Brunswick,
pil0ted by Paul Redfern, was
sighted 800 miles east Of the
British Bahamas by . steamer.
The steamer arrived 1t Nassau
att ll:lO p. m. last night and re-
ported that the plane, on its nom
stop flight to Brazil. was flying
at an altitude of about 1000 feet,
headed in a sOutherly direction.
Brunswick. Ga. Aug 9G.-<P)-A
vast expansc of sea and sky stretch
ing away to the tropics today
held behind it's walls Of silence the
fate of it's newest explorer.
Roaring away from Brunswick at
noon yesterday in the face of un-
usually favorable weather conditions.
Paul Redfern, Georgia aviator.
piloted his Stinson-Dctroitcr mono
plane seaward on his proposed 1900
mile nonstop journey to Rio de
Janerio. He sought to establish new
endurance and distance marks.
Despite headwinds forecast, Red
fern today should be far along on
his route through the tropics. Steer
ing VI course east of the Bahamas,
the young birdman headed for Porto
Rico, which his schedule indicated he
should have reached by midnight.
Pressing on, Rcdfern hoped to be
speeding during the day over the wa
ters of the Caribbean sea toward the
Isle of Trinidad.
Not Yet Heard From !
The daring birdman had not been
heard from since his plane winged
it's way southeasterly out over the
Atlantic.
Far out Of the path Of ships plow-
ing through southern waters during
the early stages Of the flight before
he reaches Porto Rico, Rcdfern was
not expected to be sighted until he
had swung oyer the. Caribbean sea-.
|tthet cradle sof nsyricahea.i As sots, aSs
he enters this leg Of his trip. pass
ing steamers may give first reports
vices have been broadcast Throughout
that region requesting any informa-
tion.
Naval navigators and hydrograph-
ers at Washington said that if Red
fern reached his objective it would
be nothing short of miracle. They
estimated he would miss his objective
at Rio de Janeiro by about $50 miles.
as they did not believe his gasoline
supply would last more than 81 hours.
while with favorable conditions it
would take 62 hours to reach his
goal. They believe when he reaches
the northeastern coast of Brazil he
will turn east to Pernambuco.
Hopes to Reach Rio
Redfern, in referring to his flight,
called it the Brunswick to Brazil hop,
and said that that when he reached
the Amazon river he would check
his gasoline supply to determine
whether he would change his course
to Pcrnambuco or keep on to Rio.
The fact that Redfern will be in
contact with land during most of his
flight, naval men point out, is in his
favor, as he will be aided in keeping
his course at night by navigation
lights for the net work of islands
over which he is flying. He will be
assisted also by ship lights as his
course carries him over the United
States to South America ship lines in
which there are numerous shipping
board vessels.
Wife Is Confident
Redfern's young wife, who wit
messed his take-off, collapsed in. the
arms of friends as the plane sailed
out over the Atlantic yesterday, but
she was confident he would succeed.
Redfern's 1900 mile hop is one Of.
the most exhaustive tests Of both
man and machine. Alone, he must
chart his course and pilot his ship
for more than so hours, bucking un-
favorable winds, crossing the torrid
zone; then over almost impenetrable
jungles of the Amazon valley and
over the towering coastal mountains
cf Brazil to reach his objective.
The plane carried 525 gallons Of
gasoline and 40 gallons of oil, in ad-
dition to safety equipment for both
land and sea.
Will Drop Flares
Sometime during the afternoon Or
early evening, Redfern was expected
to fly some SO miles east Of Trinidad
and then head along the fringe Of
the South American coast to 4 point
about so miles off Georgetown, Brit
ish Guiana. Here he planned to turn
inland and proceed toward the Ana
zon river. He declared he would drop
q flare. over the town Of Macapa, to
indicate whether he intended proceed
ing to Rio.
Redfern. at the outset realized that
q slight error in calculations might
throw him off his course and cause
consumption Of an invaluable GUAM
tity Of gasoline. He declared he
would determine over Macapa il he
had sufficient fuel in his tanks to
reach Rio safely, or lesser amount
to insure him heading toward Per-
nambuco on the coast.
BOY INMATES RECAPTURED