Evening star., 1937-06-19

'SUIlJlnue0 from FIRST Pa2e.1
weather conditions forced blind
flying"
It's getting colder" their radio
flashed late last night. we are head
ing directly toward Rudolph Island
radio station" They mentioned q
light crust OF ice forming on the plane
In the subzero weather, but whether
It. reached impending proportions was
not disclosed.
The hazardous flight. which turned
back the first trail blazers in 1885,
began from Chelkoff Airdrome, near
MOSCOW. at 4:05 am. Friday (8:05
pm. Thursday, Eastern standard
time).
Behind a veil of nearly alright
censorship the flyers we're MANY
hours on their way before news of
the venture leaked out. Even then
progress reports were guarded.
Gasoline Capacity 1000 Gallons.
The plane has a gasoline capa city
of 1000 gallons. enough to supply
the l2-cylinder, 95o-horsepower motor
for 100 hours Of speeding the 24,750-
pound craft through the air.
Extremely difficult weather con-
ditions' lay ahead OF the adventures,
the Soviet Embassy at Washington re-
ported, plus the hazards of crossing
unexplored wastes with oddly behav-
Ing magnetic compasses.
An embassy spokesman pointed out
that, in the flyers "downhill' por-
tion OF the journey from the pole,
they head over some OF the most bar
rem and unknown regions Of the
world, where unmapped mountain
ranges may rear or uncharted seas
spread beneath.
Meanwhile anxious watch was
maintained here by Russian dele
cation headed by Ambassador Alex
ander Troyanovsky, who few secretly
to the coast to welcome the flyers
One feature seemed to be in favor
of the flyers. They faced the pros
pect OF daylight for the greater por-
ton of their Arctice Circle voyage.
North OF the Arctic Circle there is
sunlight "a hours a day at this sea-
son.
Theoretically. the trio could be in
daylight until Saturday night, when
they would be within striking distance
OF their goal if their normal flight is
unimpeded.
Oakland Municipal Airport offers
AAAHnofa 1orlinr fo
plane. with wide, smooth runways
used by huge transport liners.
Troyanovsky at Field.
Most of yesterday Troyanovsky and
his aides, including Consul General
Gregory I. Goldman, pored over polar
maps and awaited word from the
planes radio.
Embassy spokesmen indicated the
Ambassadors chief duties would start
II and when the adventures arrive.
Apparently to avoid publicity should
the venture fail the Russian Embassy
brought diplomatic pressure to bear
In sitting news of the fight.
American Government ofncials who
might be in communication with the
plane referred inquiries to the en-
bassy which did not relax its policy
OF secrecy until late last night.
In announcing the flight the Russian
government said 1t had satisfied re-
quest Of the three heroes Of the Soviet
Union" to organize the venture.
The plane was described as low
wing monoplane, with retractable land
ing gear. It has red wings and gray
fuselAge, marked U. r. S. S., the letter
IN" and the figures 025. 1t carried a
20-watt radio transmitter. the call let
ters of which are "Retet."
From lonely Point Barrow. Alaska,
southward, United States Army and
Canadian officials arranged a network
Of radio stations to aid the flyers with
weather information.
Master Sergt. Stanley Morgan OF
Point Barrow. the man who first
flashed word Of the airplane crash that
killed Will Rogers and Wiley Post. was
on duty in his isolated wireless shack
to listen for the Soviet plane.