New Britain herald., 1928-02-06
Byrd Asks Fritson To Go With Him
 On Expedition To Antarctic Lands
"Ace of Aces" Lectures Here on Flights Across Atlantic and Over Top of World.

or the world, described ms trlp to the North Pole and other air jour neys in which he has participated at the Strand theater yesterday after noon before large audience which extended him a cordial welcome and applauded his feats of daring as illustrated with motion pictures. He appeared here under the auspices of Eddy-Glover post. American Legion.
 Referring to his proposed flight to the South Pole, Commander Byrd told Herald reporter after his lec- ture that he had invited Frank Frit- son of BPS South Main street, who was with him on his North Pole ex- petition. to become a member of the crew which will establish base near the South Pole. He said that Fritson was anxious to go but would not give a definite answer at this time. It is said that more than B. 900 applications have been received from volunteers who want to go to the Antarctic but Fritson will be gladly accepted as one of the hardy band if he will say ives" Con- mander Byrd paid a high compli- ment to Fritson while talking to the reporter. concluding his encomium with You can say that Frank is one fine fellow"
 After being introduced by Nathan Avery. commander of Eddy Glover post, and prior to opening his lec- ture. Commander Byrd paid tribute to Prisons prowess and brought him out onto the stage. The audience broke into applause which rivalled the reception given Byrd himself.
 Commander Byrd described in turn, flights of the NC planes, which Azores in 1919. one of them reach- ing it's destination; the ill starved venture in the same year when a dirigible blew up as it was about to leave England for the United States; his survey of Arctic lands made in 1925; his epochal flight over the North Pole with Floyd Bennett, and his journey from Long Island to Ver-Sur-Mer, France. with Lieut.. G. o. Neville. Bert Acosta and Bernt Balchen, when their ship America" came down on the seacoaSt within 125 miles from their destination. Paris, after they had flown over Le Bourget field and went back to the sea again for safety.
 Profusely illustrated. the lecture proved to be intensely absorbing. It brought out a graphic lesson of hardship and bravery against the antagonistic elements which has no parallel in the history of mankind.
 Lost Planes Smashed By Waves
 Speaking of ill-fated ventures which had ended in fiiers being lost. Commander Byrd said he had no in the disasters, were smashed by waves as was the NC-1 on it's way to the Azores. He described how this occurs, the plane landing in the sea, "porpoising" over the wave tops and finall ybeing stove in forward.
 This was the first time New Brit ain had heard from the lips of the hero the story of his experiences. Occasionally his listeners interrupted his talk by demonstrating their ap- preciation of his courage.
 The flight of the NC ships was de- scribed briefly. The pictures showed the NC-3 making its way to Punta del Garda in the Azores after 1t had come down into the sea and was disa bled. the equilibrium being so dangerously unsettled that it was necessary for one of the aviators to strap himself far out on one of the wings to maintain balance.
 Commander Byrd spoke at greater length on his Arctic flights, ex- plaincd the almost insurmountable difficulties facing his picked crews and showing by means of the motion pictures the vast wastes of ice which imprison the top of the earth. His story of the expedition to the North Pole was exceptionally graphic as pictures were taken from the time the steamship "Chantier" left New York harbor until the Josephine Ford" a Fokker machine, arrived back at Kings Bay harbor. Spitzber- gen. after having accomplished in a few hours what men, with sledges. with the exception of Commodore Peary, had been unable to do in all past history.
 The "Chantier," brought from the [. s. shipping board for $1 and made shipshape at a cost of 5000, steamed through floating ice to Kings Bay and there the airplane was unloaded and taken ashore on a pontoon raft. Working in bitter cold, the men of the expedition estab- lished a base on the snow-covered land, dragging their equipment and supplies back q mile from the water. IL was found impossible to operate the airship on wheels and skis were fastened in their place. Three pairs of skis were smashed and the fourth pair was made Of parts of the old skis and broken oars. Owing to the fact that the expedition reached Spitzbersen during the long Arctic day. they were able to work IS hours at a stretch without being hampercd by darkness.
 on to North Pole
 While the men threw their caps into tho air and danced around on the snow Byrd and Bennett got 1ln- der way. They knew their fate was in the lap of the gods. Once start cd, they were unable to land and they sailed straight to the North Pole by means of q compass which had been invented for the trip. The ordinary compass would not func- ton because the magnetic pole ren- dered it useless. Byrd had learned , this during his previous trip 10 Arc { tic regions and discovered that l when he was flying north, after | passing the magnetic pole. the needle of the compass pointed south.