Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-06

Flew Well Out to Sea.
We were forced to fly well out to sea
and travel the entire distance away
from land, due to their reasoning, per-
haps, that we might see some more OF
their Notifications, or as we think, the
places where their forts should be, but
are not.
without running the motor very fast
we made the record time of hours
and IS minutes between TOXIC ana
Sabishiro.
We discovered the beach there to be
a natural run way about mile ana
half long, but very rough from the last
half on. A wooden ramp had been oullt
on a sand durc at one end to give
heavily laden ship its initial momentum.
This was previously erected 1or Brom-
lev, Gatty, Ashe, Allen and Moyle, but
we found it too wide for our eight-foot
tread and made the fishermen at Sa-
bishiro narrow it. The ramp was made
of 2 by 12-inch boards laid croSSw1Se
to the planes course.
After it was narrowed we discovered
that the planking underneath 1.-The
ramp was not laid near enough to
the ends of the boards. SO that a
heavy ship rolling over the ramp would
tip the boards one at a time. with
IIlG pOSSIDlC LCoulb Va lS~4 AAA6 Wiz Ss>AA
out of the ship.
The entire ramp had to be relaid, at
q gross expense OF 80 yen.
Pangborn Designs System.
In Toxic we had decided that our
chances of success on the Pacific hop
would be greatly improved if we drop
ped our landing gear Immediately after
taking off But previous experiences
poia L. hoI
us that were this act known we
should never be allowed to fly from
Japan.
Consequently, Pangborn designed a
system of dropping the landing gear,
which, however, required machine shop
work AS this had to be done in
secret, of course, we got the CO.
operation of some of our American
friends in Japan.
TWO sleeves were fitted into an axle
after it was cut. Steel pins were
machined and en- airplane cable was
attached to holes in the end of each
pin. There were eight pins in all.
In Toxic we successfully kept our
secret, but it had to be revealed at the
beach on the morning before we took off
Previous to that we had planned a
take-off on October 2, but we discovered
our maps to be missing. We don't know
whether they were lost, strayed or sto-
len, but every one who had anything to
do with us in Japan had threatening
letters from the Black Dragon Society
and so we placed the blame for the
missing maps on that organization.
Fears Fail to Materialize.
Having revealed our plans for drop
ping the landing gear on October 8,
and being prevented from taking off be-
or tool rY-i1, dc ~
state of perpetual fear for the next
"a hours lest the japanese authorities
learn our plans and prevent our flight.
However, their aviation bureau closed
at noon on October 3. so it was too
late for them to hold one of their
famous conferences. Therefore we ex-
perienced no trouble from that quarter
The morning of october dawned
overcast, but we had favorable weather
reports of atmospheric conditions over
the Kurile Islands, so We decided to
take off.
The ship was loaded with 915 gallons
gency food rations, making a total
weight of 5000 pounds. which We be-
lieve to be record load per wing area.
We wound up the engine to full
throttle, holding the ship back by
means OF the brakes. At 1,700 reVolu-
tions per minute, we let her jump the
chocks and we started on cur long trip,
not knowing whether we could get the
load up or not. Pangborn was at the
dump valve, the other holding the
throttle wide open. The heavy ship
gained momentum slowly. and finally
the tail came up.
Pangborn'S two hands were on the
stick, fighting to make her fly. The air
speed mounted Slowly-50, so, 70 miles
an hour-and still be were not flying.
At last, at 90 miles an hour. the plane
bounced into the air-only to settle
back.
Plane Climbs Steadily.
After a mile and an eighth, at a
hundred miles an hour, the ship actu-
ally flew. 1t climbed steadily going
southwark. After two or three miles
we turned slowly, circled back over the
beach at LOCO feet and headed our
course for America.
We had figured it out previously that
If we held compass course of 72 de-
greeS we would eventually arrive over
Queen Charlotte Island, on the Cana
dian coast, and fly from there to the
United States.
We checked our compass over Kok-
kaido Island and other islands in the
Kuriles.
About 300 miles from Sabishiro we
dropped our wheels. First one, then
the other.
We had crossed the Rubicon. If any
thing happened from then on we would
have to crack up in japanese territory,
and then we surely would have been
jailed, or else we would crack up on the
Aleutians and never be able to fly from
them.
After proceeding for about 500 miles
up the Kuriles Islands, we headed out
to sea with a handful of meager
weather reports and plenty of fog
landing gear piece by piece by pulling
the cables we had strung up, thereby
pulling the steel pins out that were
holding the gear in place
The air speed increased about Is
miles an hour with the landing gear
removed.
Ice Forms on Wings.
The first serious trouble We met was
due to ice forming on our wings just
as night fell. With our still heavy load
we were trying to climb above the
clouds, and having a tough time at
that. 1t was bitterly cold. Even the
drinking water in our canteens froze,
to say nothing about our hands and
feet.
Pangborn took short nap just before
dark and then relieved me at the con-
trolls.
The moon rose about four hours
after sunset. We viewed a marvellous
sight. The clouds below looked like
cotton. We were flying at about $4,000
feet. The night seemed to last forever,
although in reality it was about nine
hours.
The first encouraging sign we saw,
and it was very welcome, was VOL
cano. Before leaving Japan we had
hoped that we might see it at dis
tance, as it was on our course. AS
a matter of fact, it loomed up directly
under us in the fog, showing us that
We were exactly right in our course
so far.