The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1928-06-06
FAI[TY GAUGE MADE FLIERS
BELIEVE THEY |N0ULD.BE LOST

I just as smithy took over controls
from me, The starboard motor start.
/ ed TO cough lis not fault with
i the motor. but we are using cupboard
/ wing tanks and something apparent
~ wrong with feed line.
100 Miles an Hour
$40 r. M.-Can locate no definite
| trouble May be only rain in car
1 huretur-stoves. Anyhow revolutions
now normal at 1900. Oil pressure
So and starboard motor has now
stopped sllimmying
3:I2 n. M.-Eieven hours in air
| today end believe we have averaged
100 statute miles per hour.
| 4:49 r.. M.-Lyon working up longL
tnds position. Altitude 500, speed
20 J<zots. Revolutions 1910 Looks
ak4Gd So far Sniithy has flown
50 hours and self five hours. He
viii do most Of it tonight ii murky,
$50 z. M. being 4:28 1t ships
| time. Lyon reports our position
at o'clock, ships time, to be
degrees n miSptes north. latitude.
and. 1867 degrees 30 minutes west,
longitude. Distance made good / .O2O
nautical miles, which gives average
sround speed Of 1864 statute miles
per hour.
81 II. M.-ReYoIutions 1910. speed
7s knots, ground speed estimated IS
knots. Altitude 600 feet. visibility
poor now, very hazy but may clear
~. Here's hoping. anyhow
6:1O P NJ. Have plotted Z our
Times ahead and il present condi-
tons continue. we should pass over
/ Phoenix group late tonight. Day,
light will soon be gone now. There.
fore are climbing for night. Flying
thick heavy cloud banks ahead and
above US, but feel we will get
over them at 5000 feet Altitude
now 100 feet. speed SO knots,
climbing. Ground speed estimated
at 81 knots.
6:f5 r. M.-Now meeting with
first rain clouds OF any Importance
and wind shields leakfog most UNI
comfortable Opened motors to ! 100
revolutions to climb more rapidly.
just swung off course to miss very
large rain burst. Smithy now turn
Ing back on course as write this.
Getting colder.
SIT r. M.-Center motor exhaust
pipe flexible lead carried away. No
damage, but it's blurring wind.
shields. Now iii very heavy rain.
Smithy flying blind BY Instruments
In heavy clouds. Climbing $50 feet
per minute. Altitude $50 feet. God
bless these instruments. They are
proving worth the financial battle
we had 10 ret them.
Still Iii Heavy Rain y
go 4. M.-StilI in heavy rain, but
above first cloud layer. Can see so.
feet ahead %. rs. Some Of these
clouds simply gorgeous.
$50 II M.-HeII, this rain Is rot.
ten. Reminds Smithy and me Of
ZOO miles Of rain we encountered
on round-Australia flight Only there
was ground underneath US then
Smifhy and self darned wet through
leaking windshields.
ESQ Y. Mat 5000 feet we got
above worst Of rain but had to-
swing at right angles TO course.
Still higher clouds in front. VIII
probably have to make 10000 feet
to get over them. This worries as
we may have to use up too much
fuel Altitude now 500 feet.
1908 n. M.-For last 10 minutes
been flying in circles. partly blind.
to miss clouds. Climbing as fast
as we are with this heavy load
Smithy Ii a champion at this
blind flying. Attitude now $500
feet.
7:15 r. M.--Now $500 feet IT'S
race between the Southern Cross
and clouds as to which reaches
10000 feet first, Climbing very
slowly with heavy load and plane
difficult to handle.
1881 r. M.-Sighted the good old
constellation. Southern Cross, above
port bow. Moon up also. Att.
tude 5000 above impenetrabie
clouds.
$50 r. M.-Probably lost an hour
blind flying in those darned clouds,
but back on course now and GID.
ing toward warmer chimes. War.
ner and Lyon visibIy worried at
our twisting and turning. We,
were, too. but worse for them,
being unused to night flying. par
ticularly in such bad weather. It's
also worrying because high flying
may have seriously depleted our
fuel.
1882 r. M.-Each of us has had
refreshing doZe. One really does not
sleep when off duty on job like this
but few minutes doze is helpful.
1883 y. M.-Lyon reports we have
crossed the equator, Well we are
In our hemisphere again. Instrn
ment dash light failed, Will have
TO use torch IL any more blind flying
necessary. Hope not Altitude 500
feet. Speed "a knots. Revolutions
1,590. Misty ahead, but good moon
and stars now all o. K.
AIS A. M.-Flew for hour and
half. Been doing since viii give
Smithy another spell now. More
darned rain and heavy clouds ahead
Worst Period of Trip
A. M.-One thermos bottle Of
coffee has gone bad 1 drank some.
Very upsetting. Nearly vomited.
We will be thirsty lads before we
land Raining and bunny. Visibility
nil. will wake Smithy as blind flying
ahead.
5:55 A. Must been through
worst period OF whole flight. Rain,
lightning, bumps, blind flying and
another large storm looming ahead.
Smithy handling Of ship is clever.
lodging i'm and out between clouds,
trying to find way through. II has
been rotten flying night all through
and fear we rapidly exhausting fuel
supply.
Cos A. M.-We dare not fly high
any more as fuel supply aIarmingly
low. Unless main tank gauge wrong
+ we cannot make Suva and will have
to make forced landing in water.