New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-06-27
Three PLANES IN
RACE TO Be FIRST
ON HAWAII flight
Army Machine, Civilian Ailplans
and Naval R8erYEt Await
ing Chance to Start
BERTAUD MAY ALSO HOP
OFF ON ATLANTIC TRIP

Rome and Return - Meanwhile
Commander Byrd and Companions
SEQ LATHE Chance OF Getting Away
Before Dawn Tomorrow as Wealth
or Has Been Unfavorable.
San Francisco. June II R-Test-
ed. groomed and ready for flight two
airplanes In the three-cornered race
to bridge the Pacific by air between
here and Hawaii today awaited the
zero hour while the third remained
to be tried out before the takeof.
Patrick May Go Too
The big three engined Fokker in
which Lieutenants Lester ]. Matt
land and Albert Hegenberger will
make the attempt in behalf Of the
army was being held up until the
arrival of Major General Mason M.
Patrick. chief Of the army air serv-
ice, who, the Examiner declares.
will be a passenger. General Patrick
was due here some time today. but
on what train he Is speeding toward
the city could not be learned.
! Honolulu Filter Ready
In Honolulu the navy threw q
cloak Of secrecy about the prepara-
tons Of Richard Grace, former naval
reserve officer, whose ns-Paciflc
plane was locked in a guarded han
gar at Pearl Harbor after having
made an apparently successful test
fight yesterday. The time Of the
contemplated hopon was not made
known.
Ernest Smith, local civilian flier,
had his plane ready for test flights
today after working feverishly with
a large force of mechanics. By
setting a strenuous pace he expect
ed to complete all preliminaries and
be ready for the takeon before sun
down.
In spite Of the fact that Maitland
and Hegenberger announced they do
not contemplate takeoff before to-
morrow, the impression that they
would make an earlier start than
that caused Smiths forces to work
at top speed.
Smiths Chances Good
Although the chances of Grace
and his navigator. Lieutenant Roger.
for a take off from the Hawaii end
today were unknown here, Smith
was conceded to have the best
chance to be the first to get into the
air, because whether or not General
Patrick accompanies the army fiiers.
they must await his arrival before
they can go, it was said.
The Oakland Municipal airport.
where a special 1000 foot runway
has been constructed. was ready to
accommodate both the army plane
and Smith for their takeoffs. Matt
land and Hegenberger inspected the
runway and pronounced it in
splendid condition.
The weather bureau promised
headwinds for takeoffs either here
or In the islands today. declaring
there would be fresh east breeze
from Hawaii to the half way mark.
and a stiff northwest breeze from
there to the mainland with fairly
clear weather at this end.
VIII Look to Skies
The sun, the stars and the radio
will guide the Pacific fiiers In their
dash from here to Hawaii.
Although the wireless will be a
large factor In the attempt to be
made by Lieutenants Lester ]. Matt
land and Albert Hegenberger. the
heavens will be their foremost guide.
Ernest L. Smith, civilian contender.
will use the radio but not to such
an extent as the army fiiers. Two
radio beacon stations. one here and
one near Honolulu, will form wire
less lane for Maitland and Hegen-
berger to follow.
Instruments Installed
In the navigator's cabin aboard
the giant army Fokker were In
stalled practically all the instru-
ments recognized by aeronautic ex-
perts as essential to keeping the
craft on It's true course. In addition
were instruments unknown to fiers
and carefully guarded as secrets I'M
til after they proved themselves on
the hop across the 2,40O miles OF
Pacific waters.
Sextants. compasses and a radio
set were installed in the navigator's
cabin OF the Smith plane. Perhaps
the most interesting instrument in
this little monoplane was the radio
set, constructed especially for the
fight. 1t is capable Of operating
on a 800 meter wave length, similar
to that used by the Pacific ocean
liners. 1t weighs but S. pounds.
Radio Signals
Navigator Charles H. Carter,
aboard the Smith plane, Is to trans
nit a radio signal for five minutes
hourly. Ships hearing these signals
will know that the plane Is safely in
the air. Should the plane be forced
down into the water the set Is ex-
pected to be able to send out its
s O S. signals for "a hours.
The army plane, fully loaded.
weighs 1880 pounds, the Smith
plane l.732 pounds. Lieut.. Matt
land said he expected to complete
the flight in about ~ or ~ hours.
Smith said he planned on reaching
the island in - hours.
10 Gallons An Hour
The army plane IL expected to
tcontinued on rass ny