The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1929-01-05


Metropolitan Airport, Los Angeles,
Jan. 5.-R-Cruising serenely on
ward into uncharted time spaces OF
the air the Question Mark today
groped for the answer to the question
Of how close man and man-made
contrivances can approach the birds
In sustained flight.
Becoming In reality question
mark Of the skies as It scared to-
ward dirigible records after dropping
all existing airplane endurance rec
ords from the air, the. tri-motored
Fonker still held back the solution OF
whether, given unlimited fuel and
supplies, men or motors would crack
first in continuous flight.
Having firmly tested its wings In
overcoming extremely troublesome
weather, motor and fuel problems,
the Question Mark at 5:26 .. m. to-
day passed its ninety fourth hour in
Ihe air. It then had supported its
tonquering crew Of five aloft for
more than q full day longer than
man ever flew before In an airplane.
Nears All Mark
At dawn tomorrow morning Il the
thuS-far smoothly functioning 225
horsepower motors continue their un-
Interrupted droning the Question
t6ark viii have eclipsed I'll existing
.tgbter-t -than-air endurance RECORDS
and will then become supreme In the
air.
The dirigible endurance record Of
l18 hours made several years ago by
the French-owncd Dixmude will be
passed at 5.26 q. M, Sunday morning.
Several hours earlier the crew will
have claimed the record Of Ill hours,
46 minutes made fy the Graf Zeppe-
lin in its recent flight to America.
Although not designed as dis
tance flight the armys air-blazing ct
the present time has opened new
vistas Of distance to aviation, It being
estimated the ship has covered well
over $500 miles. which II In q bee
line eastward would have carried It
far out over the European continent.
4 Can Fly 800 Hours
Barring adverse flying conditions
that would prevent refueling Of the
ship, It's builders and army sponsors
believe the plane can ily for 800
, hours, which II in straight line flight
would nearly girdle the globe.
During the past "a hours Major
Carl Spatz. in command. has shown
q growing tendency to hold the plane
close to this port so that in the event
1t Is forced down the crew would not
be robbed Of official credit for break
Ing all previous airplane worlds en-
durance records.
international aeronautic regula-
tlons specify . ship must land where
1t took off to gain official recognition
for Q record breaking performance.
The first official observation Of the
motors was made yesterday afternoon
by w. e. Thomas. expert for the
builders, the Wright Aeronautical
corporation. Going up to 5000 feet
elevation he flew for 50 minutes be-
side the ship and reported:
Engines Functiouing
1.-THE engines are fuuctiouing nor
mally and appeared Just as efficient
as at the start Of the flight. The
log reports reveal Satisfactory per-
Torrance which these engines would
give for 400 or moro hours under
normal conditions"
Major Spatz appeared happy and
cheerful, but Captain Ira @. Eaker
chief pilot, who has developed 1
slight cold. was said to look haegard
Log reports dropped here have stated
all the men are well, though some
! were reported fatiguod. deapite thl
opportunity to sleep when of duty.
Other members Of the crew ar(
Lieutenants Harry A. Halversou and
Elwood r. Quesade, relief pilots, and
Sergeant r. w. Hooe, mechauician
who Is equipped to 90 out on tta
wings to make motor repairs wher
needed. but whose principal dutiel
thus far have been the more prcsail
work Of pumping gasoline from fuse.
lage to wing tanks. changing oil and
making minor motor adjustmentl
within the cabin.