The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-07-02
Traffic Halted; Thoroughfares for Blocks Are
impossible; Commander Voices
Thanks for Reception.
PLANE FOUND TO BE IN BAD SHAPE
Engines Taken Out for Overhauling; Hulk of
"America" Dismantled for Ship
ment to French Capital y
BY RALPH HEINZEN
United Press STAFF Correspondent


VER-SUR-MER, France, July 2.
The monoplane America, above
the high-water mark of the waves
that battered her yesterday, safe be-
low the skies that had buffeted her
for forty hours previously, was be-
ing roughly, but expertly diagnosed
and dissected on the beach here to-
day.
The three engines that had kept
her in the air had been taken out
for overhauling; the hulk of the
plane herself was being dismantled,
probably for shipment to Paris.
No final verdict had been reached
on the extent of her injuries. Com
mander Byrd had hoped they were
not vital. But it was plain not only
to him, but to laymen who saw her,
that the plane was in bad shape.
Reviews His Flight
Humanity resilient, in contrast to
the prostration of their giant plane,
Commander Byrd and his COM
panions had recovered sufficiently
from their ordeal to tell the story
of their fight before their depar-
ture for Caen and, eventually, Paris.
In an interview he gave the
United Press, Commander Byrd re-
viewed his argosy from start to fin
ish, and ended with prediction re-
garding the future of transatlantic
flying.
Fog, rain and a deranged COM
pass were our main troubles" he
said. I'VE encountered some wind
going UP the New England coast.
Then we ran into a wall of fog that
enveloped the Newfoundland coast
and prevented our hopping off for
the sea from above st. Johns, as we
had planned.
Compass Goes Wrong
But luckily we located ourselves
and were able to start ort over the
Atlantic, knowing where We were.
Then, toward the end, our
troublesome compass went entirely
wrong. We were flying around in
large circles.
Again and again we set our
course for Paris, but all our efforts
resulted only in carrying up into
lowJying rain clouds. For hours we
searched for landing place, all the
while watching carefully our gas
consumption.
"It was too dark to tell the nature
of the ground below us at any time
and kne what bringing the plane
down on rough ground without be-
ing able to see it would result in
tragedy.
when we finally landed, we came
down because we had to. We knew
damned we'll we had not another
drop of gas.
"As regards transatlantic pas
senger SERVES, the time for them
has not yet come.
Must Experiment Further
MANY more experimental flights
will have to be made before anyone
can talk seriously of them. The
work already done will have to be
carried on.
1--WE plan to publish all our data
for we believe it will be of extreme
interest to all others planning At
lantic flights" Byrd continued.
"We were in the air forty-two
hours. If we had had more fuel we
could have remained in the air in
definitely, for our motors were work.
ing perfectly"
Byrd's radio silence toward the
end of the flight. he said. was en-
forced. His wireless went wrong,
partly from storm interference,
partly from the interference Of radio
amateurs. Finally, he said, wind in
terferred with use of the planes
trailing antennae.
He heartily praised the courage Of
his companions.