The Washington times., 1929-05-29
yellow bird lost 500
GALLONS Of CAS- As
SHE LEFT SHORE
lcontinued from FIrat I'D

2 Continued from First Page)
figured my take off almost per.
fectlv and although the Yellow Bird
/ nearly touched the water when she
left the beach she rose gracefully.
II reached an altitude Of 200 feet
and then 400 feet Soon noticed
on my control dial huge con
sumption Of gasoline which, I knew
could not have been caused Il all
were going we'll
.sTo turn back was q pity. OF
course, you understand how deeply
II affects me. But I had to con.
slider the two lives Of my brave
companions. TO continue would
have been folly.
g Although / am disappointed, /
am hopeful for tomorrow. Already
i have ordered 1000 gallons OF
gasoline which viii be installed in
the tank as soon as It is repaired.
"The yellow Bird win fly to Paris
and my two brave companions and
win. take It there"
Police Protect Planes
Police guards were thrown about
the Yellow Bird for distance of
several hundred yards. Smoking of
cigarettes and cigars in the area
was barred for fear an explosion
would be caused by the escaping
gasoline and gasoline fumes rom
the Yellow Bird
The American fliers went over to
the Frenchmen and expressed their
regret. Williams and Yancey, the
American airmen, stated that they
ln 4a1 tarr NSeRNs Naf
caused their plane to become lodged
In the sand and that they were pre-
pairing to take, off within short
time.
It was found necessary, however,
to remove the so-called pants" a
stream line canvas covering Of the
wheels of the. Green Flash in order.
to remove the sand. Mechanics
found at 9:4O q m. that the removal
of the sand would take at least half
an hour.
Lieut.. Harry M. Melka. pilot of
the United States Coastguard
Anphibian plane. which set off with
the Yellow Bird, landed on the
beach shortly before IL a. m. with
q thrilling story of the unfortunate
flight OF the French n1onoplane.
Lieutenant MellSa said the Yellow
Bird was speeding along at approx.
mately 100 miles an hour when, two
miles beyond the Portland Light
ship the French plane began to
beich gasoline. Lieutenant Melka
said that he was flying a short
distance beyond and above the Yel-
low Bird. He could see the French
fliers plainly. Approximately "a
miles from Old Orchard, the Yellow
Bird suddenly turned in a wide
circle and swooped as If going
down. Instead, she hit an even
keel.
Lost 500 Gallons
Later it was learned the ship lost
800 gallons of gasoline in the ocean.
Lieutenant Melka said he knew
that something was wrong with the
Yellow Bird. He cracked out an
s o S call on his radio broadcasting
apparatus.
Hovering in the offing. speedy
patrol boat of the u. s. Coastguard
Service saw the French plane and
picked up the S O S. calls at the
same time. The Coastguardsman
started at fun speed toward the
Yellow Bird, and was running close
up to her when the Frenchmen got
back near the beach.
Men of the coastguard boat had
lines ready, and were all set to
rescue the three French fiiers had
the Yellow Bird lost all her gaso-
line and been forced to make land
ing on the water.
Lieutenant Melka Immediately
made plans to follow the American
plane Green Flash.
While the sand was being removed
srom around the wheels of the Green
Flash, the French niers were en-.
Eleavoring to repair the broken seam
in the gasoline tank.
Both planes had been on the beach