Evening star., 1928-04-24
CAPT. G. H. WILKINS
OWN STORY OF FLIGHT
OVER POLAR REGIONS

Continued from First Page)
The machine and engine were thor
oughly tested before leaving Los An
geles. at the same time familiarizing
pilot and navigator with its individual
traits. Airplanes differ as do people.
Shipped from Los Angeles. the plane
reached Seward, Alaska. on schedule
time. There we experienced the first
setback. Snow slides blocked the rail-
way. delaying arrival at Fairbanks for
one week. At Fairbanks, in tempera-
lures of 40 degrees below zero, the plane
was tested In Arctic conditions. Many
slight adjustments we're necessary, but
three weeks experimenting put every
thing right.
Route Over Mountains.
From Fairbanks. our route lay over
the rugged Endicott Range to Point
Barrow, 500 miles. A forced landing on
this flight would be more troublesome
than a landing on the Arctic ice.
The flight to Point Barrow was un-
eventful l had covered the route IL
times before. The plane stood on an
Eskimo playground on the lagoon at
Point Barrow while Our Arctic equip
ment, taken TO Point Barrow In 1926
and used that year and again in 1927
was overhauled
Old Eskimo women carefully ex-
amined and prepared reindeer skin
clothing. rubbing and scraping II
until soft as velvet. The younger women
stretched with their teeth and strong
arms our Sealskin boots and mittens
until they fitted perfectly. Old Eskimo
men. experienced hunters, sharpened
our seal spears, fashioned Ice picks and
Whitfield apparatus for retrieving dead
seals from the water.
If your machine fails" the old men
said, you must walk 10 a land visited
by one of our ancestors. He walked
over the ice to the East, saw new land
and people. and was tattooed on
the back 10 prove IL, but our fathers
didn't know whether TO believe him
Perhaps you'll prove the old man was
right"
Rifles Are Tested.
Our fight did not bolster the ole
mans story. Our Arctic food supply
consisting OF chocolate, s pounds: bis.
cults. 30 pounds. pemmican. 20 po,anxir
matted milk. "a pounds; raisins, S
pounds, was carefully weighed anc
slowed in the plane. Our Prinus
stoves were cleaned and tested. ouI
two rifles were freed from oil and
retested on a range for accuracy: 35C
soft-nosed, expanding cartridges were
carefully examined. for should we be-
forced down at the furthermost point
from land en- route we should have
TO depend on our knowledge OF Arctic
sea Ice hunting Tor perhaps 10 months
Our sounding gear. sonic depart
ment's finding apparatus. and manual
thermometers. water sample bottles
containers for specimens and note books
we're carefully packed. Should We land
they would be needed.
Snow shoes. knives and saw for
cutting snow blocks for snow houses
and an ak, which might be needed TO
free the pilot In case Of a crash. were
carefully fitted 10 the walls OF the
plane. A flask OF ether. surgical instru-
nents. bandages. medicines etc, were
packed, but the use OF these In not
often contemplated. Special covers foI
the engine and stoves for heating the
same were designed and placed where
they would not interfere with the work.
Ing Of the plane.
Water Proof Tent Carried.
A light wind and water proof tent
was prepared Our spare clothing
With what we would wear. provided
for each man two fur shirts. two pairs
Of fur socks, fur breeches. sealskir
| breeches four pairs angora Wooler
socks. two pairs sealskin Winter boots
two pairs sealskin Summer boots. two