Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-23
Motor of Plane Is Running
Smoothly After Starting
18th Day in Air.
TEXAS AVIAT0RS PASS
FLIGHT HALFWAY MARK
Shreveport Pair Forced Down as
' ~
Cylinders Blow 0ut:-Two Take
Air Over Minneapolis.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, July 23.-The st.
Louis Robin equaled the endur-
ance record at o'clock, Central
standard time g pm. Eastern
standard time) today.
BY the Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, July 23.-The mono
plane St. Louis Robin was within one
hour Of equaling the world record for
sustained flight at 1:0l pm. today. soon
after it had started It's eleventh day In
the air.
At TAT am. the plane made Its
twenty-second refueling contact, taking
on a light load, and the pilots. Dale
(Red) Jackson and Forest O'Brien, re-
ported the motor was running smoothly.
A city-wide celebration is planned for
2:01 pm. central standard time), when
the plane will equal the present world
mark Of 246 hours 43 minutes 80 sec
onds, set by the Angeleno at Culver
City. Calf.
The st. Louis Robin, escorted by two
squadrons of planes, will circle the
downtown section, while factory whis-
ties and aerial bombs give noisy con-
gratulations.
merry Christmas" to ALI.
The pilots expect to continue after
the hour needed to definitely establish
q NpANnn6 q CT
night read: Motor running fine. Both
feeling good. Just 20 hours until we
start on another endurance flight. We
don't believe 1t is necessary to be tough
hombres' to be endurance flyers" In
another note they wished you all a
merry Christmas and a happy New
Year"
The flyers were cautioned yesterday
by Maj. Albert Bond Lambert, official
observer, to keep their log carefully
and to remain within sight Of ground
observers. Maj. Lambert pointed out
their Paragraph. which records whether
they have made landing, has run
down, making 1t necessary to obtain
af1davits that they remained in the
air continuously.
Oil Line Is Leaking.
The first sign of any trouble aboard
the st. Louis Robin was indicated In
note sent down this morning saying
that the flyers were being bothered by
oil spraying over the cabin windows.
Some anxiety was felt that this might
develop into serious trouble. as a leaky
oil line forced the Missouri Robin. sister
endurance plane. to land yesterday.
In their note, the flyers ordered clean
underwear, socks and shirts to be
sent up.
The Curtiss Robertson Co. ordered
the plant closed at noon today in order
that the $50 employees might partici-
pate in the demonstration If the record
is broken.
A special brand of gasoline, never
before tried in an endurance flight, Is
being used. Pilots have avoided its use
because Of rapid evaporation. AS the
supply at the field was practically de-
pleted. a truckload, brought here on
endurance run" from Tulsa, saved the
flyers. A tank car was delayed by a
track washout and the truck started
the 450-p1ile journey with two drivers.
The only stops were for fuel.
There is 10 years difference in the
ages of the two pilots. Jackson being
% and O'Brine SO. Both have been
instructors at aviation schools before
joining the sponsors Of the flight. the
Curtiss- Robertson Co. jackson won the
barrel-rolling contest last year when
he sent a plane through AIT Of the
maneuverS.
The st. Louis Robin started at 7:17
am. on Saturday. July 13, while a
sister ship, the Missouri Robin. took
to the air 90 hours later, only to
be forced down yesterday after lit
hours and 18 minutes aloft because Of
oil spattering the cabin windows until
it was impossible for the pilots, w.
Gentry Shelton and Joe Hammer, to
see.