Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-06-29

because of the wind the opening let
in. 1 shouted, Let's go, let's stay with
| it. Please But he refused
Edmund j. Moffett, one of Smiths
hackers, first told the pilot that he
could go on il he wanted to do sc with
a new navigator. When Smith departed
Moffett announced the flight was in
definitely off and declined to discuss
future plans.
With receipt here of reports from
Honolulu that Richard Grace had re-
ceived new propeller for his plane
and was working feverishly to make
ready for a start from the Barking
Sands" of Mauna, on the island OF
Kauai.
His plane is of the Cruizaire type.
| It has a 22O-horsepower radial type
engine capable of travelling at 12O
miles an hour. The craft, loaded,
would weigh between 1000 ana 4,5OO
pounds.
The army plane has three radial
motors, each capable of developing 200
horsepower. Loaded the ship weighs
$500 pounds. Its cruising speed is
1O5 miles an hour and is expected to
cover approximately 5000 miles on its
1040 gallons of gasoline.
Before leaving here Lieutenant Matt
land declared he expected to arrive in
Honolul uin about "a hours. Word re-
ceived from Honolulu today was that
army officials on the island were pre-
pairing for the arrival OF the plane
there at 7 a. m. tomorrow.
Provisioning of the Fokker was one.
of the last duties. Army men in charge
of placing rationS and water aboard
the plane arrived at the airport at 6
a. m, and stored aboard two one-quart
bottles of hot liquid, one OF cocoa and
the other Of soup. A supply OF hard
tack and five gallons of distilled water
completed the larder.
Other articles necessary in The navi-
CATION of the plane we're conveniently
arranged in the middle compartment
of the ship. There is located their
earth inductor compass on stationary
tripod.
Along the walls were arranged cloth
pockets for tools, food and spare in
struments. On the table was the radio
set. Here Lieutenant Hegenberger will
sit for the first half of the flight after
which he expected to relieve Lieu
tenant Maitland from the Stick in
the foreward or pilots cockpit.
A round opening in the fuselage over
the middle compartment permits the
navigator to make his astronomical OBJ
serVations.
On the floor of the rear fuselage was
placed the rubber life raft which can
be inflated with gas from special tanks
in case the plane is forced down into
the sea. THE Fokker, not equipped with
pontoons, can float about three hours,
army officials estimated, giving the
fliers plenty of time to transmit radio
calls Tor help, give their location and
make their raft ready for use If they
must abandon the plane before aid
arrives.
The pilot sits in the forward cockpit,
directly behind the foremost and center,
engine and between the propellers on
either side. The roar of the motors
prohibits conversation between pilot
and navigator Communications must
be made in writing.
Considerable strength will be neces-
sary to hold the two sticks" or con-
trolls of the plane because of the
immense ailerons, or sections of the
wings comfortable in keeping the plane
level.
Lieutenant Maitland's father and
mother, Mr.. and Mrs. j. w. Maitland,
of Burlingame, Calf, witnessed the
take-off against the wishes OF their
son. He did not tell his parents last
night at what time this morning he
would leave. His father learned Of
the hour, however, and going to his
home took Mrs. Maitland with him to
Oakland, where they stayed for the
night in the same hotel where both
fliers were sleeping.
Mr.. and Mrs. Maitland were up early
and met their son in the hotel lobby.
He bid them goodbye and expressed
wish that they did, not go to the air.
port. Army friends explained that he
did not want his parents to be present,
fearing the possibility of an accident
in the take-off of the heavily laden
plane.