Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-14
Jump Tales From the t1e:,- Caterpillar Club
No IO-The PanAnn Caerb;ra
New York and Detroit Lock
Wings Over Buenos Aires
and Crash.
Dargue and Whitehead
Saved by Chutes, but
Woolsey and Benton Per-
ish.
BY DON GLAssMAN.

When the American flyers hove
into harbor, on February o6, 1927, loud
footing and changing, fervor and revelry
rent the air. From the mastheads Of
watercraft, from cross trees. rigging
and tunnels fluttered the colors Of
many nations.
In diamond formation the feet cir
eled the port.
First, the New York glided low.
leveled out skinned ripples and grooved
q foaming furrow in the bay. The
Detroit, the st. Louis and the San
Francisco droned overhead, while the
flagship cleared the fairway Singly,
they nosed down and scratched the
The reclamation swelled as the ships
were moored to buoys. Natives milled
around the flyers.
VivaI los aviadores norteamericanos!
Heroes del aire!
The Flight Personnel
Civil end military officers escorted
the Americans to an Argentine battle
cruiser anchored hard by; and seated
Ut o banquet in the saloon. stories of
Yanqui valor governed the table talk
They told how the American men o.
war had flown down the rainless coast,
where for "a years not one drop had
fallen out of heaven; and through the
rain ridden belt where for nine solid
years the clouds had precipitated every
day; and how they had crossed the
Andes.
Peace, its firtherance and assurance,
Was the avowed mission of the amphi-
biAn feet. The motive was extolled and
discussed with Latin verbosity at every
corner; this gesture of warmth from
the United States stirred pan-America.
One minister said the fight had done
more good than 10 years Of diplomatic
correspondence.
Aside from its desire to weld friendly
relations with 40 South American re-
publics. the expedition sought to en-
courage commercial aviation and dem
ongtrate the feasibility Of commercial
routes; to give training to Air Corps
personnel, and to test the amphiblan
type Of airplane and inverted Liberty
motor.
The 22,Os5-mile flight began with
hve Looming amphibians. Pilots Of the
New York, the San Antonio, the San
Francisco, the Detroit and the st.
Louis were respectively: Mai. Herbert
A. Dargue, commandant; Capt. A. B.
Mcdaniel, Capt. I. c. Eaker. Capt. G. r.
Woolsey and Lieut.. B. S. Thompson.
Alternate pilots Of these same planes
were: Lieut. Ennis c. Whitehead, Lieut..
G. NICK. Robinson, Lieut.. NJ. 8. Fair
Ck11AQs l1CuI. d. W. oCp0Ukl anu 1lEubs
L. D. Wellington.
The Flying Frogs.
While at Tumaco near the Ecua-
dorian border, the San Antonio was dis
Rbled by motor trouble. The rest of
the fight continued; the San Antoniois
crew awaited new power plant from
Panama.
The amphibians were the first flying
I'D A..
lies on a single tour. Along the route,
@heir visit excited reverence and won-
dcrment. In many places the natives
had never seen plane, at least q frog"
type, which f1nds its. element on water,
land or in air.
Swimming toward shore by their own
power and toddling up on the beach,
all adrip, the underslung, broad-bellied
planes bore an extraordinary likeness to
giant geese.
Innovations in the design and con-
Etruction Of the pan-American ships
merit this description from Maj.
Dargue:
"The Looming COAL used on this
Eight operates equally well on land or
water. When used Is q hydroplane,
or in flight, the landing gear wheels
taerely by turning crank in the cock
pit.
THE hull itself Is made of duralumin
on q wooden frame. Five watertight
compartments are connected to a bilge
pump in the rear cockpit. The fuse
LACE is built on top of the hull. Wings
are about as big as an ordinary obseT-
walton planes. Pontoons at the end Of
each wing keep the ship balanced on
water. Navigation lights may be used
ct night.
Fully loaded, the Looming weighs
nearly 5000 pounds, yet her flying char
acteristics are very good. Our average
cruising speed was above IS to 90 miles
per hour. While with favorable wind
miles an hour"
The performance Of the amphibians
and gallantry of their crews would
have held all attention but for an event
which overshadowed other considera-
tons and added a fragment to Cater
pillar history.
what happened at Buenos Aires"
Maj. Dargue told me when I met him
ct the American War College, Washing
ton, did more to cement our pam
American relations than any event on
the whole flight.
Following the harbor reception, we
returned TO our chips and prepared TO =,
the Argentine Army Air Service, on the
outskirts Of Buenos Aires.
THE Detroit was allowed to take on
first, since IL was necessary for one OF
her crew to climb out while in fight
and lash . loose brace into position so
she might ground safely. A landing
gear cable had broken the day before
soon after the Detroit skidded of,
the New York. San Francisco and st.
Louis followed. The feet reaSsembled
into q perfect diamond element while
flying over the city, escorted by three
Argentine planes.
ARRIVING over the field, flew in my
usual position at the forward point OF
the diamond. The San Francisco fol-
lowed at the right point. the Detroit
at the left point and the St Louis
brought up the rear. The escort new
behind, to the left. The port also was
to our left.
Last View Of the Detroit.
"I rocked the New Yorks wings a.
signal to my men to prepare for land
ing. Following prearranged plans they
fell out of position. The San Francisco
swung into q sharp circle TO the right
Opposite her the Detroit swung out or
the left. To the rear the st. Louis
continued straight ahead, climbing
slightly to get over our heads.
when breaking formation. 1t was ms
custom to lose altitude rapidly.
withheld this time. because, glancint
down, saw an Argentine passing dag.
onally beneath me. waited until
could see II emerge under my righ
wine. But apparently II swerved be
neafh me and went on to the left
where IL remained hidden by my plane
After reasonable time had elapses
without my seeing 1t looked Tor !
On the left"
delled sharply 10 left and approache