Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-08-16

Over last minute motor trouble and
repairs needed on some planes. The
| Dole starting committee, the court OF
last resort in the race, Will issue GER
tificates to approved starters at 10
a. m. tomorrow.
The pilots themselves were IN
highly nervous state A missing COM
pass magnet from one OF the extra
kits in the miss Doran" sent
rumor about vandalism the full
length of the field Two pilots issued
statements saying they would guard
their planes with shotguns through
the night to prevent tampering. j.
A. Pedlar, pilot of the "Miss Doran"
regretted that the small loss reported
from his plane had caused such
situation, pointing out that the loss
was small one. He believed mechan-
les had left the kit on the ground
and covered it with dust while they
were working.
Professional airrnen from all Sec
tions of the United States assembled
on the field today and announced
they would be here at noon tomorrow
to witness the starters flag send the
planes on their way.
According to the official rules Of
the starting committee, not more
than two minutes may elapSe be-
tween the first and succeeding planes
in the take-off, but it is expected
this rule will be modified to meet the
actual conditions obtaining when the
race is started tomorrow.
The pilots themselves believe that
at least ten minutes will be required
for each starter A ribbon OF dust
six feet high and a mile long will
flood the air after each starter goes.
Until this cloud clears the next starter
will not move.
Each plane will carry ton OF gas
oline and should any pilot fail to
take off without proper skill, his
plane will return to the ground with
crash and perhaps an explosion. NO
plane in the race has made public
tests of a take-off with Ele fun
load of gasoline, and few have tested
the lifting capacity of their machines
in private performances.
The rush attendant upon qualifica-
/ ton and certification has permitted
no dress rehearsals AT post time to-
morrow noon the many starters will
try their actual load performance for
the first time.
Eleventh hour workouts today
we're not all up to par. Less than
twenty four hours before the race
the monoplane Oklahoma was pop
ping around the airwayS above the
field. emitting sounds like a bunch
of fire-crackers in irregular eXplos-
i0x1 II cT1annth
formance owing to last minute plans
to change the gasoline air feed lines.
] The "Air King" formerly "The
City of PEORIA" the smallest plane
in the race, was having its troubles.
A, re-check on the gasoline storage
facilities raised some doubt in the
minds of the pilot and navigator as
to whether their 37O gallon supply
would put them into Honolulu or force
them down 800 miles from their
goal with empty gasoline tanks. Army
aviators flying a huge triple engined
affair and carrying many high rank
ing officers of the service, moved over
from Chissy field today and viewed
the planes entered to start.
! The officers gave Charles w.
Parkhurst and Ralph c. Loves, Jr.,
expert advice on what the plane
might be expected to do. in the way
of gasoline consumption and re-
test was ordered. The basis of the
expected gasoline shortage was figured
on top speed of 80 miles an hour
expected from the plane, whereas the
pilot figured 80 miles an hour as his
cruising speed. A retest on q meas
ured quantity of gasoline was set for
this afternoon the starting committee
expressed more than ordinary interest
in the gasoline fuel supply capacity
of the "air king" The "Air King is
a hard starter. On Sunday it took