New Britain herald., 1930-06-25
Trouble With Fog

A message from the plane at , 45 4 NJ, F. $ T said
 Very bad fog all night and trouble with compass has held us up quite lot Afraid will have to land at petrol after all. Sorry to have 10 do this but delay was enormous. Will advise which place later The message was signed by Cap tain Charles Kingsford- Smith. who with three companions took off in the plane from Port Narnock, Irish Free State, at 4:27 a. n Tuesday morning Go:27 p. m, E. S. T. Mon day) in an attempt to cross the At lantlc and reach New York.
 At 4c3o q. m E. $. T. the Cape Race radio station announced the plane was headed for Earbor Grace, N F.
 Although failing in attaining thelr goal the tliers. were to all purposes successful h making the second westward crossing of the North At lantlc ln an airplane, Captain Her man koehl, Baron Won Hueneteld, and Colonel James Fitznaurlce hav- ing completed the first crossing in th. airplane Bremen tUo years ago. Wastes Several Hours
 Lost ln lmpenetrable fog, mist and rain. which made direction above, below and 10 each side indtstinguish- able, the alrplane wasted several hours before dawn trying to find it's direction IT the nsighborhood ot cape Race. Newfoundland
 Probably four or five hours were wasted in this way. with q conse- 4uent use Of precious fuel, 50 that when shortly after q. n. E. $, T. direction and location were estao- llshet 1t was necessary to seek land at once.
 Tn. plan. had but 1,2a3 gallons 6. gasoline in its tank. when 1t left Port Narnock. sufficient for S8 hours flying This time would have been up shortly after noon (E. s. n today. When at 3 q. m. (E. S. n the plane still had not reached Cape 1 Race. which was l l.E00 miles from New York 1t wal calculated that 1t would have to do better than l20 miles an hour to reach is goal be- fore exhausting its fuel supply.
 The speed previously had averaged about 55 miles per hour. With d. rnin!sh!ng fuel load q greater speed for the remaining distance to New York might have been expected, but head winds up and down the coast varying from five to twenty-five miles an hour in velocity would have countered this advantage. i The four airreF fought battle with sleep throughout the long night Surrounded by the fog bank, mist and rain, which were driven straight at them by strong head winds, they found q rnoaotony which only realization Of the danger Of their positions enabled them to over come.
 Troubled By Sleepiness | Once at ll25 ?. m. Tuesday E. S. T J. W. Stannage, the radio opera tor, wirelessAd Now very dark. Al most blinded with motors ringed with flame Still 160 miles from Cape Face. Dickens of struggle 10 keep awake now. Drone of motors makes me tired. faint streak of approach ing dawn
 II was from this message on that II became evident the plane was m trouble. Subsequent messages were largely requests for bearings and for aid in ascertain!ng position. The Transylvania and tho Minnedosa were asked to help, both responding. The Minnedosa ratioed the first in formation that the ship was having trouble with it's compass.
 Almost from the time they left the Irish coast Captain Kingstord- Smith and the radio operator kept up a constant chatter With the out side world by means Of the wireless Up until early today the messages were cheerful, and expressed no doubt Of successful ending of the trip.
 Late yesterday afternoon the plane ran into the fog which perennially cloaks the Grand Banks off New toundland. At sundoHn they climbed above the fog waste. and one mes sage commented on the beauty oi the sky with 50 much fog below.
 Several messages at this time com rnented On the cheerful glow or the radio tubes and their red plane. As it got darker mention was made 0! the pink flame which began to show from the exhar.t ports of the plane engines. The comment was made that it was very uncanny.
 One message mentioned a meal of a chicken sandwich and a cup ol coffee royal The cotfe wasn't SC good" the message read, but the royal is Jameson's Irish. seven years old. Not quite dark yet. But we are sailing hish-40 000 feet up.
 Battleship In Talk
 At s:2s 3. m, E. $. T. the battle ship Wyoming. flagship of the At, lantic scouting fleet. picked up message from the plane to the liar bor Grace, Newfoundland, airport apparently declining their offer oi facilities in the event of a landing The message said:
 Many thanks. but endeavoring tc reach American territory before ; landing"
 From about this time on the ship! radio operator complained that h' could not raise anybody At 10:oO p m. he said We are within 100 mile' | Inae