Evening star., 1937-07-11

/ camp, commented on trans-polar fly
Ing in the following terms:
In order to appraise correctly such
flying, We must renounce the ordinary
conceptions induced by ordinary
geographic maps Instead one must
take model of the globe in his hands.
Only globe reveals one decisive
popularity Of aviation, namely, that
1t is not bound by any roads. but
chooses its route on the basis of the
shortest distance between two points
on this planet.
The globe also reveals the extraor-
dinary role Of the Arctic in the great
flights of the near future. 1t turns
out that the shortest route between
Moscow and Chicago. or between Lon
don and Toxic, traverses the polar
country, while the Moscow-San Fran.
cisco route passes directly over the
Pole
THE polar flight of the Russians.
then, should not be looked upon
as mere stunt. The flyers were not
out merely for ride, nor even to win
personal glory. 1t is the policy of
Soviet aviation to subordinate in
dividual accomplishment to the ad-
vancement of the science of navipa-
ton. This attitude was reflected bv
Co-Pilot Georgi Baidukoff, who praised
the Russian air force. saving that the
flight could have been made by any Of
the Soviet flyers.
In effect, the flight was the first
OF what may be series of scientific
trips over the North Pole. The
aviators anticipated number of
difficulties which they would en-
counter in the Arctic climate. They
met with number of others for
which they were less prepared. such
as the repeated formation OF ice on
the wings of the plane. They had an
opportunity to study the effect of
rapid changes of temperature, at
mospheric differences, and violent
polar storms on the machinery that
carried them.
The plane measured up to its re-
quirements very well. Known as the
ANT-25. it was designed by Prof.
A. N. Tupdeff and built at the Gen.
tral Aero Hydrodynamics Institute in
Moscow under special order The
chief requirement for the ship was q
long flying radius, since it had to
make flight of nearly 5000 miles
without refueling. The motor was
constructed in such way that it
would consume very little gasoline.
The ship is A feet long, l8 feet
high and has q wing spread OF l22
feet.
This abnormal wing spread is ex-
planned by Prof. Tupdeff. 1T may be
asserted with complete certainty"
he said, that in no other country,
among planes of analogous classifica-
ton, is there machine with so
great prolongation. The necessity Of
substantially increasing the range OF
the ships action compelled us to
construct such a wing The wings
serve dual function, since huge fuel
tanks, 2l feet long. are fitted into
them. According to the designer,
fuel tanks in the wings are of great
assistance in making the ship sturdy.
The wings of a heavily loaded ma
chine undergo great stress in flight
under the action of aerodynamic forces
directed upward. The force OF the
fuels weight is directed downward
and thus lessons the stress.
THE greatest difficulty to be encoun-
tered in polar navigation is in
keeping course. The vicinity of the
magnetic North Pole is about 800
miles south Of the true polar can.
and the area between these two points
is known as "a magnetic and mathe-
matical jungle" Magnetic and gyro-
magnetic compasses do not work
sseusS - shis region and are al
most useres. Furthermore, there
are often great clouds hanging high
in the vicinity Of the Pole which
make difficult the use of the solar
compass.
BY using fast plane, Jimmy Mat
tern hopes to cut the time required
for the flight nearly in half. The
maximum speed of the ANT-25 was
only $50 miles per hour Msttern
plans to use Lockheed plane with
maximum speed of 240 miles per
hour. He will cut down on his load
by flying alone, carrying a single
navigator, and by refueling from an
other ship somewhere In Alaska.
Through these means he plans TO
make the entire trip in 30 or 20 hours.