The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-04-23
GIANT CLIPPER BATTLING FIERCE
HEAD WINDS IN RETURN FLIGHT
ACROSS PACIFIC TO CALIFORNIA
an-AmeriCan Luxury Liner
NearS Goal, Slightly
OFF Schedule.
SPEED CUT FAR DOWN
Craft May Be Delayed an
Hour or More, Belief
on West Coast.

81 United Press
ALAMEDA AIRPORT, Ala
media, Cal, April 23.-New
headwinds a assaulted Pam
American Always h huge
flying Clipper less than 500
miles off the California coast
this afternoon.
After Is hours in the air
the Clipper was 1928 miles
from Honolulu. A 33-mile
headwind had cut its ground
speed to SO miles an hour.
The headwinds reached a velocity
of 40 miles an hour in slowing the
progress of the trans-Pacific plane
flying from the Hawaiian Islands
to Alameda.
At one phase of their fight against
the unfavorable wind, Capt. Edwin
Musick ard his crew of five made
only 70 miles in so minutes, reducing
their average speed considerably.
Arrival May Be Delayed
Pan-American Airway officials,
waiting here for the planes arrival,
we're not yet ready to revise their
estimate of an 18-hour flight. In
der that program the plane was due
here by 3 p. m. Indianapolis time).
Should the wind prevail as the plane
draws nearer the coast, its arrival
may be delayed an hour or more.
The Clippers log showed the eff
fects of the weather conditions on
its eastward journey. For the first
nine hours the plane averaged 135
miles an hour to reach the half
way point of a 2400-nile flight.
During that time they had oppor-
tunity to prepare supper and TO
chart atmospheric conditions over
route which planes will follow in
regular mail and passenger services
later in the year.
Record Hopes Fade
But as they zoomed down the
last arc of the great circle, they
met stiffening winds and their
speed dropped below any chance to
equal or better the record of Is
hours for the flight set last year by
Sir Charles Kingsford- Smith.
Far over the Pacific Capt. Musick
and his five companions went about
their business with the efficiency
which brought about their selection
for the trail-blazing expedition, on
which they are completing a round
trip fight to the Hawaiian Islands.
Radio Officer w. T. Jarboe Jr. re-
lieved Victor Wright of his engi-
neering duties for a time while
Wright went back to the liners COM
plete kitchen and cooked supper
soup, meat, sandwiches and coffee
while 1000 feet above the surface Of
ocean.
Visibility Is Excellent
Visibility above and ahead re-
manned excellent through the early
stages. The sky was bright blue
above the massed clouds. Naviga-
ton Officer Fred Noonan didn't need
the bright moon, however, to guide
him for the plane rode eastward on
the beams of radio directional rays
broadcast from Alameda.
The take-of was symbolic of the
flight. To the men it was routine
trip they have repeated many
times on trans Caribbean service.
They will make it often again when
American begins regular sched-
ules from California to China by
way of Honolulu, the Midway
Islands, Wake Island, Guam and
Manila.
The crew reached Pearl Harbor
an hour before the time ior de-
parture. The four motors we're
started. They idled, warming up,
until 7:59 p. m. indianapolis time.
Then Capt. Musick and his aids
waved good-by. gave the motors the
gun and rose in graceful arc to-
ward Diamond Head.
The 19-ton craft carried 1900
pieces Of mail which will be delivered
in California within "A hours in
stead of the. five days required by
steamship schedules