Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-25
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

can handle the needs of a big
city. The pumps aboard the
Saratoga can handle more than
the needs of the National Capital
for water for all the many re-
quirements of city life.
So with the electrical supply
system. The generators aboard
the Saratoga supply sufficient cur
rent to meet the demands of a
city of nearly a half-million popu-
Iation, as was amply demonstrate
ed when one Of the largest Pacific
Coast seaport cities ran out of
current, due to the effect of con-
tinued drouth on it's hydroelectric
power plants. A carrier was
moored alongside q wharf and
connected up with the city's
power lines, supplying all the cur
rent required until the normal
supply was regained.
Mechanical Giants.
This same immensely of me-
chanical processes is repeated time
and again aboard the Saratoga.
Thousands upon thousands of gal
Ions of sea water are converted
into fresh water aboard. Great
electrical refrigeration systems
supply iced water to all parts of
the vessel and keep the great
stores of provisions fresh. The
gasoline handling system cannot
be duplicated except in the great
est oil plants.
And all this had to do with the
ordinary functions Of shipboard
life. We have not yet begun to
consider the amazing special func-
tions of the Saratoga as a huge
floating airport, completely equip
ped to handle all the operations
in connection with a great mill
tary air force. In this respect
some of the most startling fea-
lures of the great vessel are found.
The flight deck Of the Saratoga
is $50 feet long and contains ap-
proximately two and one-half
acres of cleared space. Two hun
dred gallons of paint are required
to paint this vast surface, which
is covered with wood blocks, laid
as bricks are laid to pave street.
The superstructure, including
great compound funnel, mast,
bridge, control, meteorological
and radio cabins and gun turrets,
is placed on the Starboard.
The fight deck, although an
airplane may run on any part Of
it, is not an unbroken surface,
by any means. Two great ele-
vators, one leading down to the
hangar deck, the other to the
workshop, are let into its sur
face, each elevator being large
enough to accommodate the larg-
est torpedo and bombardment
plane carried.
Seagolng Parking Space.
There are long metal-lipped
slots, like the center slots in
street car tracks, all along the
flight deck. In these slots there
are devices which may be slid
to any point and locked in
place, to which lines may be made
fast for tying down planes parked
on the deck.
There is an ingenious wind
break composed Of long metal
plates about 6 inches wide, work
ing on a hinge at one end and
with a supporting member be-
meath. These may be raised YER
tically, forming a sort Of picket
fence" of metal about 8 feet high
across the flight deck. There are
spaces between the plates through
which a man may pass, but the
device is said to be one of the
most effective windbreaks i'm
aginable.
The broken fence Of fiat plates
creates q turbulence which almost
completely breaks up the force OF
the wind, leaving an area Of calm
behind the barrier. In front OF
the barrier q man may have to
lean at a sharp angle into the
gales which sweep the great flight
deck when the carrier Is steam
ing into q wind-and these great
hulkS can be driven through the
seas at a speed of 40 miles pei
llOuT, dS ldIlOSIllCII IA Z q u i
speeds. Behind the barrier, how
ever, the same man will be seer
to straighten up and walk nor
mally.
Crash Barriers Strung.
Strung across the after thirC
Of the flight deck, from port tt
starboard, are the cables Of the
arresting gear, which bring to 9
halt the speediest airplane within
a few yards. Just aft of the real
elevator well there are three set.
of cables which are erected a!
barriers and which are guaran.
teed to stop the widest plane, BY
crashing it if necessary.
The landings all are made or
the after portion of the fligh'
deck in an effective landing ares
measuring something like 80x25(
feet. The operation of the arrest
ing gear remains one of the mill
tary secrets of these great ships
The principal, however, Is simple
TToAo~ fha foil nf AoNI norria,