New Britain herald., 1928-08-16
Hassell and Cramer Expect to Spend Night There and Continue on to Greenland Base Tomorrow.
Their Final Jump From Iceland to Stockholm Covers About 1,34o Miles, Most of It Over the Ocean.

hockford, III, Aug. Is .tR-Bert Hassell. accompanied by Parker Cramer. co-pilot and navigator took off at $40 a. m. central standard time. on the first leg of | proposed flight to Stockholm.
 The pilots made a perfect hop. .on from the Rockford airport circline over the field until the bir plane had made an altitude of about l.. coo feet when it was nosed north eastward toward Cochrane, Ont. where Hassell planned to make h,s tlrst stop and spend the nirht.
 On To Greenland
 The pilots were scheduled "a reach Cochrane in about eisht hours. stopping over there to refuel and tune up the plane for | second hop to Greenland tomorrow.
 Both Hassell and Cramer express. ed confidence of success as thev climbed into the Greater Rosk- ford' and waved goodbye. They were not daunted by tho accident which halted their first attempt three weeks ago when their plane. heavily loaded for one hop to Greenland was unable to make alti. Jude and crashed in a corn field shortly after leaving Rockford.
 Big Crowd Watches
 A large crowd had gathered at the airport when the biz plane was roled from its hangar shortly after a. m. The pilots began warming up the motors and without any de- day took off at $40. Weather con- dlfons for the flight across Canada were considered. ideal and the Greater Rockford" crew was cer- tam 1t would mako Cochrane on scheduled time.
 The hop from Cochrane to dreen. land is about 1.6oo miles. much of it over water. From Greenland the fllers plan another hop to Iceland and then final jump to Stockholm. their goal.
 Route Of Fliers
 From Rockford. the course of the plane was northwest across Canada 10 Coehrane, Ont. and thence on to Mt Evans, Greenland. the total dis lance from Rockford to Mt. Evans neing 2,loo. The pilots planned to make shorter hop from Mt. Evans 10 Reykjavik, Iceland, where where base was ready for additional fuel and oil. Between Reykjavik and the swedish coast, their last hop. lies | great expanse of open sea.
 The big plane was stocked with ample food supplies and other provi- slons for the northern flight. Be. sides food the pilots carried q col- lapslble rubber boat. an axe, | rifle. hiking outfits and first aid kits.
 Weighs About 5000 Pounds
 The Greater Rockford, fully load. sd. weighs about 5000 pounds and has wing spread of 46 feet. It can carry three persons, although the flight was limited to a crew of two. Hassell. chief pilot. and Cramer, CO., pilot and navigator.
 A radio was included amour the planes equipment and the pilots planned to keep in communication with radio stations throughout their flight.
 The Rockford Chamber Of Com. ,erce sponsored the niers in their plans for the Stockholm journey.
 The hop to Cochrane would take he fliers over about 800 miles of the route. From Cochrane to Nit. Evans the distance is roughly 1,6oo miles and from Nit. Evans to their Iceland base the mileage is about sS4. Their ast hop to Stockholm covers about l.34o miles, most of it over the sea.
 Forgot Their Lunch
 1t was reported at the airport that in the excitement the fliers forgot to put in their lunches they had pack. ed for today However. no appre- nension was felt since they were due Q arrive in Cochane shortly after noon and they had emergency ra- ions if needed.
 The radio on the Greater Rock tord was given the call letters of kHAH and Operator Chamer said he would endeavor to send out re- ports every hour. Radio station kFLV at Rockford was prepared to keep in constant touch If possible.