Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-07-09
ROME PLANE
WINCINC SEA
No Further Reports From
Ship Which Took Off
Monday Morning

ROME, July 9.-R-The minis
try Of aeronautics has given orders
that three of the largest air fields
in the neighborhood of Rome be
illuminated this evening to aid the
transatlantic monoplane Path
finder.
1t was not believed tire Ameri-
can plane could possibly reach
Rome before tomorrow morning,
but the ministry decided it would
take no chances.
Officials are somewhat nonpluss-
ed by the lack of definite informa-
ton Of the field which the Ameri-
can fliers plan to land upon, con-
sequently the lighting orders were
given to three fields, the Littoric,
Ciampino and Monticello.
HORTA, Island of Fayal, Azores,
July 9.-tP)-No news of the Amer
lean transatlantic monoplane Path
finder had been received here late
today.
CThe course Of the Pathfinder
would have carried her about 100
miles north of the Azores.
NEW YORK, July 9.-N0-Aided
by following winds, the monoplane
Pathfinder, carrying Roger 9. Will
liams and Captain Lewis A. Yancey
was presumed today to be well out
over the Atlantic on its way to
Rome.
The plane left Old Orchard, Me,
at 7:49 a. m, eastern standard time
yesterday. Yancey, the navigator,
estimated they would complete the
4,232 mile flight in about 48 hours,
which would bring them to Rome
Wednesday forenoon.
When last reported, an hour after
the start, the Pathfinder was about
rs miles off Portland lightship and
going fine" The report was made
by a coast guard plane which es-
corted the transatlantic flyers on the
first 100 miles.
The course plotted by Yancey lay
over Cape Sable, N. S., then east
southeast to the Corner" junction
Of ship lanes, 1000 miles off Old
Orchard, then along the 41st parallel
to Cape Ortegal, Spain, across to
Bayonne, France, and over the Med
i%terranean to Rome.
Although the start was made
through a fog, DR.. James H. Kim
ball, meteorologist at the weather
bureau, said weather conditions over
the ocean were favorable for the
flight with the prospect Of helping
winds. He said some cloudiness ard
occasional showers might be en-
countered in mid-Atlantic.
The start was made after two fail
ureS when the plane, Green Flash,
predecessor of the Pathfinder, was
wrecked in attempting to lake off.
The Pathfinder is a Bellanca
monoplane, equipped with a 22O
horsepower Wright whirlwind mo-
tor. Its cruising speed is go miles
an hour with a maximum speed OF
135 miles.
The plane carried AS gallons of
fuel, estimated as sufficient for Is
hours flying at its normal consump-
ton Of ten gallons an hour. At the
last minute SIS gallons were left be-
hind. to tighten the takeoff load.
the flyers calculating that favorable
winds would reduce the fuel con-
sumption.
Both members Of the crew we're
veteran airmen and Yancev was an
expert navigator, with a ship mas
ter's license, and several years sea-
faring experience.
Before leaving Yancey arranged to
note weather and temperature data
Tor DR.. Kimball, who has supplied
weather reports for all the trans
atlantic flight projects,
ROME, July 9.-(P-Interest in
creased here today by leaps and
bounds in the fight the airpIane
Pathfinder was believed to be max
ing to cross from Old Orchard, Me
to Rome.
Premier Mussolini gave orders he
was to be informed immediately of
any developments in the flight, and
1t was said his under-secretary
Dalbo probably would be at the
landing field to welcome the
a~viators, Roger @. Williams and
Lewis A. Yancey.
Newspapers today gave their most
prominent front page displays to
the flight.