The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1931-07-08
ROBBINS AND Jones
LEAVE SEATTLE ON
TRANSOCEAN TRIP
MonopIane Gets off Ground
After Second Sprint DoWr1
Runway at Western Field
TO REFUEL OVER ALASKA
Aviatcrs Expect to Reach Des-
tination Friday After SIS
Hours in Air

vanderhoof, B. c., July s.-tR-
The trans-Pacific plane Fort Worth
passed here at 9:35 a. m. pacific
standard time) Wednesday, flying
high and to the northwest. Wander
hoof is about 525 miles north Of Seat
tie.
The projected 5,1oo-mile non
stop, refueling flight from Seat
tie to Tokyo got under way
at 3:57 a. m. Pacific standard time)
Wednesday when Reg L. Robbins and
H. s. Jones, Texas airmen, hoped off
in quest Of a $4,000 prize offered by
a japanese newspaper.
Their snow-white monoplane, Fort
Worth, loaded with 800 gallons Of
gasoline, took to the air after their
second sprint down the runway Of
Boeing field. Robbins. at tho con-
trols, got the plane up by giving it
the gun" at the end OF the runway.
Had it failed to rise at that moment
there might have been a crackup.
BY refueling from their tri-motored
mother plane over Fairbanks, Alaska,
and again over Siberia, Immediately
after crossing the Boring sea, Rob-
bins and Jones expect to reach Tok-
20 by Friday morning, Pacific time,
or about IS hours after their takeoff.
Heads Directly North
The plane headed directly north
wardnfor an inland course over Brit
ish Columbia and Yukon territory on
the way to Fairbanks. The refueling
plane waited at the latter place.
Manned by j. j. Mattern and Nick
Greener, also of Texas, the tri-motor-
ed craft will fill the tanks of the Fort
Worth and then follow 1t across
Alaska to Solomon. There the moth
er craft will pick u gasoline and
strike out toward Siberia to make the
last scheduled %refueling.
Weather conditions along the first
part of the route were laid by gov
eminent m~eteorologists to be ideal.
Two courses have been routed on
the Siberian side. If the filters find
favorable weather they will skirt the
coast Of the Kamchatka peninsula
and then fly over the Kurile islands
to Japan. Otherwise they plan to
journey around the Gulf Of Anadir
and then fly down the coast, but
keeping inland about 100 miles.
Robbins and Jones figured it would
take Is to II hours to reach Fair
banks and about six more to get to
Nome.
May Fly Back Again
Robbins and Jones will not be eligi-
bic to win the S25 900 put up by Sc
attic business men for a nonstop air
trip between Seattle and Tokyo as
they will be ~refueling outside q radius
of SO miles of the two cities. They
said they might, however. install ad-
ditional flying tanks and try flying
back again, nonstop, for the Seattle
prize.
The Fort Worth has a 225-horse
power Wright motor and has a cruis-
ing speed of about IS miles per hour.
The machine is not equipped with
radio.
Jones will do the navigating and
Robbins the plotting, but the naviga-
tor will take the controls occasionally
to rest Robbins.
!, Food, water. charts, navigating In
struments, blankets, life saving rub.
Der jackets, fishing tackle and q rifle
were stored in the navigator's com
apartment.
The aviators' food supply consisted
Of fried chicken and sandwiches 70,
y two days and emergency rations in
GLIDING beans, rice, tea. bacon nj
) chocolate.
Robbins and Jones, are gambling
against death for different reasons.
! Reasons For Gamble
For Robbins, one time enduranc,
: flight hero, it is q business proposi
ton. the SIS .o00-purse offered by tn
newspaper Asahi.
i Jones greatest love Is adventure
c any kind, just so there is q thrill Il
it: and the bachelor sportsman, file
e and oil man undertook the trim as
4 vacation jaunt. He Is unmarried.
Robbins and Jones have been "bud
: dies" since 1929. when Robbins al
3 the late jim Kelly broke the re9ueliu
2 endurance flight record set by, tn