Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-12
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the fitting could be removed and
either welded or replaced.
1t was one of six fittings that keep
the long single-piece wing secured to
the fuselage. By Sitting the fabric at
one point an inspection was able to
be undertaken, and this revealed that
the fitting was firmly built into the
wing proper and could only be re-
moved with the greatest difficulty,
which involved a disassembling of
major portion of the wing.
Would Involve Delays.
So a strong steel reinforcement was
ordered and accomplished. 1t is be-
lieved the crack developed in disas-
sembling the plane for shipment and
had it not been discovered it probably
would have involved serious delays in
Col. Lindberghs flying schedule.
AS the mechanics dug deeper and
deeper into the necessary parts of the
plane that had to be accounted for
and put together, they encountered
more delays. The Ryan monoplane
was the first of the type even given
them for assemblage, but the me-
| chanics were not led far afield in it's
| intricacies.
| After the Memphis had discharged
| its distinguished passenger at the
| MayfioWer dock. the Navy tug Yard
| Explosive went alongside and pre-
pared to take the two huge boxes off.
| The box carrying the fuselage, with
! the engine attached, weighed 5000
pounds. 1t was 26 feet 5 inches long,
| IL feet a inches wide and 8 feet 6
| inches high. 1t was built as securely
as a house and was reinforced with
| steel straps.
| The Yard Explosive, under the SUI
/ pervision of Chief Boatswain w. G..
Fitzpatrick of the naval air station,
sought to get it's hook down to the
box carrying the fuselage. The boom
was not high enough to drop the cable
directly down to a fastening made for
the hook and pull it out.
Big Crane Used
The boom on the Memphis had ex.
perienced some injury while in Eu.
rope. and although it was in good
condition, those on board would not
take the risk of trusting the valued
cargo to this uncertain machinery,
| A hurried conference was called and
some one raised the point that moth.
ing but the biggest and mightiest
|
given the task in getting the precious
cargo ashore.
Accordingly, word was sent to the
yard for the best crane on the prem.
ises and No. IL, commanded by
John f. Daniel, 760 Sixth street south.
east, was given orders to get I'D
steam.
Getting up steam that will have to
lift nearly 5000 pounds Is not fast
Vnplr l. Ga
warm. Finally, after the patience Of
the waiting mechanics at the air sta
ton had become almost exhausted
and waiting throngs began to leave,
No. IL chugged around a corner on
its combination locomotive and pulled
alongside.
1t was not a question of just haul
ing it off. The hook was put in place
and the fastenings were gathered up
and placed in it. The crane eased the
case up and down to make sure of
proper balance and more time was
lost in getting secure adjustments.
Rose Of Deck.
Finally Daniel put all his steam to
work and the big package rose off
the deck. Swinging in mid-air as 1t
was turned toward the land, Navy
officers directly concerned with its
safe delivery registered concern and
openly expressed the hope that the
cable would not part, despite the fact
that No. IL can lift 40 tons.
: Gracefully it was heaved around
; | and slowly 1t was lowered 1t came
to rest on the ground without Sc
much as jolt and then the hook
went back for the wing. encased In
a box 48 feet long and a couple OF
feet wide, weighing 1900 pounds.
! There were but a few spectators al
/ the yard. but Immediately some Of
! them dug down in their pockets fol
t penknives and began peeling OF