Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-28
14MOUNTA|N PEAKS
ARE FOUND BY BYRD
IN 5-HOUR FLIGHT
Returns From Journey Over
King Edward Land-BoI-
ling Arrives.
DISCOVERY OF NEW
ISLAND ALSO REPORTED
First Plane to Fly Over Main Body
of Continent-Unexplored
Territory Seen.
BY Russell OWEN.

LITTLE AMERICA, January o.
Comdr. Byrd. returning after a five-hour
flight over King Edward Land, an
Tako and the Alexandria mountains,
the discovery of IA mountain peaks
sticking up above the snow. After
SO many weeks of nothing but
ice and snow, the solid rock looked
good, Byrd's message continued Re-
ceipt previously of radio dispatch,
announcing that the Eleanor Boiling
had arrived, also was announced by
Comdr. Byrd.
He also discovered a new island on his
first long exploration flight over King
Edward Land, he reported. He kept in
continuous radio communication with
the base and ship. Balchen piloted the
plane and June acted as radio operator.
He took off after a run of only 30 Sec
onds, despite heavy load, and after
circling the camp headed northeast on a
course for the Scott Nuna Tako. He
had gas for about nine and one-haIf
hours.
EHSs AOHk EApIOratl0n.
This is the first time that an American
has made long exploration trip in Ant
arctic and the first time an airplane has
been used to fly over the main body of
the continent. Everywhere on the right
OF his course today was unexplored ter
ritory, and much of the coastline to his
left had never been seen before.
The Boiling arrived today a few min
uteS after Byrd had taken off and dis
appeared to the northwest, flying high
over the snow under clear, brilliant
sky. Her arrival and the successful
take-off made this day of jubilation,
for this is the first steel ship ever used
by an Antarctic expedition, and the
Boiling bucked ice successfully for sew
eral days, arriving here loaded so that
her sides bulgcd. Her getting here
safely means that the greatest hazard
the expedition faced has been sur
mounted, and now only remains the
great task Of unloading her and getting
her cargo ashore.
Ice Gone Ont Of Bay.
Fortunately, the ice has gone out of
the bay on the east side, enabling the
party to approach the barrier and take
a direct route over solid surface OF
only four miles to the camp.
The plane In which Comdr. Byrd
made his flight to King Edward Land
is a specially built Fairchild with a
400-horsepower motor It Is loaded
with the most diversified assortment
ever packed in an airplane.
The plane Is cabin Lnonoplane with
q wing so feet wide. 1t has a cruising
radius of 5000 miles. 1t was loaded
carefully before the take-of, everything
that went into it being weighed so that
the load might be cut down to min
imum. It weighed, fully loaded, inc1ud-
ing the crew, about 5000 pounds It
was remarkable how much was packed
into the comparatively small cabin, for
in commercial use the plane carries only
five or six passengers. It was built
especially for Antarctic work, the tail
surfaces being enlarged, the landing
gear raised and extra tanks being
built into the cabin and wings. But
for this flight the cabin tank was re-
moved and only the wings tanks we're
partly filled.
The usual instruments are on the
board in front of the pilot and to his
right IS radio key so that he may op-
crate the radio in an emergency.
Fastened to the back of his seat is the
large compass, this being the only
place in the ship fairly free from local
deviations. Just behind the seat is
bAAC VA Az AAA0A1oVOA OPCAAhA6 AL AAbOA
and about it is the navigating hatch
through which Byrd can take Sextant
sights and watch his sun compass.
Can Take Pictures.
The doors have plates which may be
opened for taking pictures. In back
of the doors and just in front of the
partition separating the cabin from the
tail of the plane sits the radio operator
with hic sets CHINO either SiHo 0f
him and easily accessible for repairs
or adjustments. A radio key is fasten-
ed on tiny shelf on his left, shelf
about s inches wide.
This small space seems fairly well
filled with the crew. but also it held
two sleds for hand hauling which have
been taken apart and may be lashed to-
gether with rawhide, two man harnesses,
two tents, one prirnus cooker, three
sleeping bags. three pairs of skis, two
pairs of ski sticks two pairs of snow
shoes, two pairs of ski boots, one ice
AK. spade, snow knife, hunting knife,
go feet alpine rope, four bamboo poles,
two pair cramponS, one portable
emergency radio set, repair outfit, water
proof clothes bag. in which are packed
n1ukluks, Senna grass, fur mittS, under
wear, sox and snow goggles. There are
also two medical kits, matches, binoc-
ul6TS, Iuel lot Lne COOKERS, ana IOOQ
for three men for three months. These
things were taken so that Byrd and his
companions would have been able to
get home on foot If they had been
forced down
The airplane supplies included too
kit, motor cover, blow torch for heating
the motor, snow shovel, tarpaulin, oil
drainage, oil funnel and gas funnel.
Byrd's navigation equipment consists
Of charts, sextant drift indicator, sun
compass, earth inductor compass anC
large magnetic compass.
And yet with all this material aboarc
II is slowed so neatly and compactly
that there Is some room to move around
and moving pictures of interesting parts
of the flight may be taken. Byrd has
provided in his usual thorough way fol
every possible contingency as on any
of these flights and there will be many
of them before he returns. He recently
tested out new sailing sled, weighins
only So pounds, including sail, mast
canvas bag to hold everything on it anC
the stays. 1t is the most satisfactory
sled he has ever had and when h.
tested it in a 20-mile wind it moved
across rough lumpy surface so quickly
that one had to hustle to keep uI
with It,
tcopyrieht 1928. by the New York Time.
Co and the ST. Louis Post Dispatch All
tights for publication reserved throughoui
~ woTlal