Evening star., 1927-10-17
GRAYSON PLANE
HOPS, But RETURNS
Craft Nose-Heavy, Naviga.
tor Dumps 260 Gallons of
Gasoline at Start.
Ry the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
OLD ORCHARD. Me-, october IL
Six minutes after the Dawn hoped
| off from Old Orchard for Copenhaven
| today and had almost vanished over
the sea it was seen headed back to-
| ward land. Evidently it's crew had
decided that gas which was dropped
as they started was necessary for the
fight.
The plane had made good altitude
after it had dropped part of it's load
and apparently was in good flying
order as it headed back toward the
beach.
The plane swung ont in a. great
over Biddeford Pool. 1t did not at
first attempt to come in for landing.
Plane Nose-heavy.
The plane was nose-heavy, and Pilot
Wilmer Stultz said that it was impos-
sible to keep her up. His navigator,
Brice Goldsborough. pulled the wire
which dumped 260 gallons, almost a
third of the load, into the air, where 1t
sprayed back in great white cloud.
The first word of Mrs. Frances w.
Grayson as she stepped from the
plane was to Capt. Harry NJ. Jones:
I'VE must have 260 gallons of gaso-
| line at once. We will shift SO gallons
aft to give her a better balance and
| try it again."
They still had almost two hours be-
! fore the tide would block the attempt
Faced by the fact that all of the
needed gasoline was not available
and that much time was needed to
| load it, 1t was decided after a con
ference that the fight must be post
poned from this tide. Since the next
low tide tonight will be after dark
| tomorrow morning will be the first
opportunity for another attempt. The
plane was returned to its position high
on the beach.
Rises Easily From Beach.
The Sikorsky amphibian had risen
easily from the beach after run of
| less than a mile. Scarcely had the
nose been pointed toward it's European
goa4, however, when it was seen that
she was rapidly losing the altitude
gained.
The plane was barely 20 feet above
| dumped. 1t took less than minute
to ease the plane Of the contents OF
| the two tanks, which stream line the
motors just below the upper wing.
The ship then climbed as though ar
anchor had been cast off and was
| nearly lost to view over the ocean as
| it sped east past Prouts Neck. Their
the cry went up from the hundreds
of watchers on the beach: "She IL
coming back"
Mrs. Stultz and Mrs. Goldsborougf
were standing on the sands. Never
word did they say during the critica
moments before the gasoline was
dumped. Only when the plane wa:
again over the beach did Mrs. Colds
borough exclaim:
Didn't they drop that gas quickly?'
Makes Perfect Landing.
After circling about to the south
ward, Pilot Stultz brought the Dawr
down to a perfect landing and came
to q stop in front of the hangar. where
the plane had awaited its chance fol
exactly a week.
Navigator Goldsborough said tha
the plane took the air in 81 seconds
The dumping Of the load, which savet
the ship. took 40 seconds. Although
all three flyers were obviously disap
pointed at the false start, Colds
borough said.
"It was Of much value as a tes
flight, for everything functioned beau
tifully. We will correct the balance
and, feel sure, will make it mex
time. We hope that will be tomorrow
morning."
Mrs. Grayson, through this lates
difficulty, kept up her cheerfullness
She was most active in the worl
about the plane when 1t was returned
TO it's former position on the beach