The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-01-27
FROST ANINCHT THICK
FORMED CAb|NO
!: Big TRIMOT0R ship
Men Wrapped Oil Pipes With AS
bestos to Keep Lubricant
From CongeaIing
CARRIED $1,000 POUNDS
Not Considered Safe to Rise to
Peak Attitudes, So Fol-
lowed G. N. Railroad

Ine last OF the arctic p0trOl lIeel
of planes. the Ford tri-motor. con
plcted the visit here Of the Selfridge
Field pilots by taking off this morn
ing to rejoin the others at Mime
ap6B.
The Fcrd. the biggest ship in the
air fleet, carries ten men. headed by
Lieutenant Shanahan. It flew here
from Great Falls. Sunday. Leaving
the northern Montana metropolis in
a snoW storm at $40 in the morning
the plane arrived at Miles City at II
o'clock and left again at 1880 after
refueling and after the crew had had
lunch. It arrived here at Sis.
The crew dined at the Fort Lincoln
mess hall and spent the night in the
barracks their. The members include
sTcchnical Sergeant c. B. Guiles. who
has been flying Is years. Two years
he spent in the forestry service on
ahc coast as an air fire patrol lookout.
He is credited with being n of the
most experienced flyers in the army.
!. Flew 1000 Feet on r. 4. Course
Other members of the GREY are
Staff Sergeants Lawrence, Mondt,
and White: Sergeants A. Hanson. G.
durham. T. J. Chalfant and Gau-
sdettc: and Private Brock.
The crew was particularly thrilled
by its experience in crossing the con
-tinental divide. said Sergeants Dur
liam and Hanson. The tri-motor flew
Mt an altitude of 5000 feet and fol-
lowed the Great Northern railroads
course for safety's sake.
7. This brought the tri-motor very
close at times to the mountain sides.
The men SAID 1t seemed as though
one step off on these from the tips
ssof the wings.
: Eight Tons Aboard Plane
L One eason for not going higher.
which would have been required had
the plane chosen to cross in an air
line above the mountain peaks. was
ahAtAhere was a possibility Of the air.
cooled engines freezing up in the In
tense cold and going dead. the men
said. The temperature vas some SO
sdegrces subzero. they added. Frost
AN inch thick formed in the cabin as
they scared through the pass taken
by the Great Northern to reach the
Spokane side Of the Rockies.
q Another reason for precaution wa
the load carried. This amounted to
$4,000 pounds or eight tons-a factor
TO be taken into consideration in the
tare atmosphere over the continental
divide in such temperature conditions
IS prevailed.
Keeping Oil From Freezing
lone Of the tricks OF combating the
effect of winter low temperatures
which tri-motor flyers developed out
Of their experiences was to wrap the
oil pipes with asbestos. They found
the oil. poured warm. had a tend
ency to freeze In the pipes in the in
tense cold Of northern Montana.
xs6estns solved this problem.
Western hospitality vas very much
in evidence all along the route Of the
tour. the men said. In fact, it was so
much SO that it made inroads on
their sleeping time and the crews will
arrive at Selfridge Field very much in
3e0lO0Q 10 rest up III a very long nap.
Royce's Narrow Escape
Major Royce, 1t was learned. had a
more thrilling descent at Sentinel
Butte than was indicated in the orig
mai information. In the blizzardy
snow which forced the fleet down
three miles out Of Beach, due to in
reference with visibility, he plunged
through three wire fences. When his |
plane finally came to a stop and he
out, he found himself within |
. few feet of a telephone pole and
just, beyond that the railroad grade
lQ0red up. ready for a complete
Plane 43 had a lot of trouble with
one Of its skids. When it put off
here. Sunday. 1t was noticed to +.
hanging partly loose.