Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-29
ANTARCTIC PLANE
+ SURVIVES PER|LS
Byd's Giant Craft Has Been
Thoroughly Tested Under
Rough Handling.
By Radio to The star and the New York Times.

BY RADIO TO Inc star ana the NeW xoFk Almfs'
LITTLE AMERICA, Antsrctica, No
vember 29-The. Ford plane which
Comdr Byrd Is using on his South
only with the greatest OF care and
some good luck. No metal plane has
probably been through so many VciS-
STUDIES and survived.
It has been flown under all sorts of
conditions as far moth as latitude so.
has been transported over salt water
through the tropics, dropped several
feet to a dock, landed in pieces on a
crumbling barrier from which parts
to camp with dog teams, buried in a
snow igloo during severe Antarctic
Winter and emerged from 1t all in
perfect condition.
The plane came out of the factory
in March. 1923, when Floyd Bennett,
Comdr. Byrd's companion on his North
Polar flight, who was to have been his
pilot on this fight, was still alive and
in charge of aviation.
After it was tested 1t was flown by
Bennett and Bernt Balchen to Canada
by way Of st. Paul, Winnipeg, lie
Pas and then Reindeer Lake and
Racket, Hudson Bay trading post far
up in the Northern wilderness. There
1t was flown on skis and tested some
times In temperatures Of so below zero
Flown in Canadian Gold Rush.
On this flight the plane mixed UP
with the gold rush to Reindeer Lake,
which was at its height at that time.
Bennett and Balchen met a number
of men in LIE Pas who were anxious TO
get to Reindeer Lake quickly. a journey
which was ordinarily made by dog
sledge while snow was on the ground.
They were flown up as passengers and
both Bennett and Balchen staked
claims. After the tests on skis were
completed they came back and at lie
Pas again put on wheels and the plane
was flown back to Detroit
The plane then was exhibited in the
Detroit aviation show, the national
show Of that year. and while it was
there Bennett and Balchen few in
another Ford to the rescue of the Ger
man flyers who had landed at Greenley
Island in the Belle Isle Straits.
On the way up both flyers were i'll
and Bennett became too i'll at Murray
Bay to continue. He was taken to Que
bee and died there of pneumonia.
His loss was severe blow to Comdr.
Byrd, for he had not only been a tower
Of strength in the preparations for the
flight; but he was also perhaps the
closest friend Of the commander. They
had been companions on many danger
Gus flights together.
Bennett, whom every one liked, was
buried in Arlington and the big Ford
which he was to have flown was named
after him. His name is painted in large
letters on the front part Of the fuselage.
Tested Under All Extremes.
After the plane had been thoroughly
! tested, it was flown to Norfolk, Va.
with the other planes of the expedition
and the wing tips removed. They and
all other ARTS were thoroughly sprayed
to preve' t corrosion during the long
trip to the Barrier.
It was then hoisted aboard the
whaler c. w. Larsen and on the trip
to San Pedro, Calf, where Comdr.
, Byrd went aDoard, the plane was dis
| assembled and Grated and covered with
tarpaulin. That was blistering work
| and the pilots and mechanics who have
worked on it have done so when the
metal vas almost too hot to touch and
when 1t was so cold that 1t scared the
| fingers. Every condition In handling
the Ford had been extreme.
1t was landed on the dock at Wei
| lington, New Zealand, and through
miscalculation the huge crate contain
| ing the fuselage with the center motor
in place wss dropped on its side several
feet. The pilots watching the job held
their breath Cor fear something had
been broken, but 1t stood the strain
we'll 1t was then loaded into the hold
of the supply steamer Eleanor Boiling,
where it remained until it reached the
Ice Barrier.
Landing It Is Problem.
rsoktS.~ a. ..hn.n v,,as anotLnv .l;aso,,it
problem. 1t could not be landed on the
bay ice, as had been done with the
Fairchild plane, because the ice was
getting mushy.
So when the Eleanor Boiling hauled
up alongside the ice dock at the foot
of the Barrier, the engines were first
taken ashore on the ice dock when it
broke. BY fast work and good fortune
the center section was hoisted on board
again without damage.
Then the Eleanor Boiling ran along
side the Barrier, which at that point
was level with the bridge, and the
fuselage was taken from its crate. At
the first pull a snatch block broke, but
did no damage.
The plane was lifted to the top Of
the Barrier and rested on the edge for
q time while skis were dashed under 1t,
and it bumped up and down gently, a
humping which might have accelerated
the breaking of of the Barriers edge
a few hours later. 1t was touch and
60, but q chance which had to be taken,
and finally the big frame was hauled
back from the waters edge and put in
a position Of safety. From there 1t was
hauled to camp by so dogs, five miles
along the tops Of the Barrier. Then 1t
was buried in a snow house. Not
bolt, had been lost.
Arrangement Of the Cockpit.
The cockpit is the usual large cock =
pit of a Ford plane, with instruments
on q board in front Of the pilot and
dual control. A door leads into the
fuselage cabin and just in back of 1t
is the extra tank strapped to the floor
by metal bands. This fills only half
Of the cabin space at this point and
alongside of it was placed most of the
emergency equipment taken on the
fiight-feed, tent, cooker and clothes.
The sleeping bags were dashed under
the roof, for the cabin is about seven
feet high.
(By the New York Times Co. and the St
louis Post Dispatch. All rlghts for publi-
cation reserved throughout the world)
------- -