Evening star., 1941-09-14
Baby Clipper Ruins,
Lost I Years, Found
In Newfoundland
Note Smith ScribbIed in
Leoving Ship Discovered
Inside Wrecked Goblin
Rv the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
ST. JOHNS. Newfoundland, Sept
13-The next to last chapter in the
story of a youthful attempt to fly
the Atlantic behind a four-cylinder
motor has been unfolded in the
wilds of Newfoundland with dis
covery of the wreCkage of Thomas
H. Smiths baby clipper.
Inside the tiny cabin was a piece
of notepaper, weathered by more
than two years of summer sun and
winter cold. which read, in part:
Walking out to avoid freezing. "
That was all. No other trace OF
the airman was found.
Took of May 2S, 1889.
The chances are that his remains
lie somewhere in the wild bush
country. Their discovery would
write an end to the story that be-
gan Nav %, 1899, at Old Orchard,
Me. when the baby clipper lifted
its silver nose into the eastern sky
in an unheralded takeoff. Smith
was "a years old.
The region of his forced landing
Is 50 miles inland in Western New
foundland, a section of bushy wilder
ness, rocks and lakes.
The note indicated that the youth
was aware of his possible fate for
in it he identified himself care
fully as the son of Harvey F. Smith,
ClarkSburg (W. Va attorney.
(At Clarksburg Saturday the
flyers father could only eXclaim
that is almost unbelievable
when told of the discovery. For
months after her sons disap-
pearance. Mrs. Smith repeatedly
expressed her belief he would
turn up alive).
The youth had been licensed
pilot since the age of 16 He had
made his first flight at IA. For 10
months before the ill-fated flight
he had worked for a light plane
manufacturer in Los Angeles. 1t was
his ambition to demonstrate the de-
pendability of small ships on long
flights.
Had Four Tanks OF Gas.
That ambition explained his un-
authorized take-off from Old Orch
ard. He had loaded his 670-pound
plane with four tanks of gasoline
which had quadrupled its normal
weight and charted a course for
Slvne Head, Ireland.
While a handful of witnesses in
on the secret of his departure look
ed on. Tommy threw a light canvas
bag into his baby clipper and
climbed in. The bag contained re-
volver. a fishing line and hooks, a
hunting knife, a first-aid kit. mos
quito netting, three chocolate bars,
some bullion cubes, matches, pair
of mittenS, and a container OF
orange juice.
Between his knees the youth held
a compass. He had no radio equip
nent but there we're instruments for
blind flying He estimated his ITO
gallons of gasoline would keep his
65-horsepowered plane in the air
for 40 hours, whereas he expected to
be over Ireland in 80
Followed Great Circle Course.
He had charted course following
the true great circle. 300 miles north
of the northernmost steamship lines.
Sure of his ability to fly the Allan
tic, he carried passports for Ireland,
Scotland and. England.
The remains of the Smith plane
were understood to have been first
spotted by Royal Canadian Air
Force flyers in August. 1t was two
weeks before atmospheric conditions
enabled airmen to photograph it,
however, for identification by
United States authorities. Members
of the United States Army Air Serv-
ice finally reached the wreckage.
Veteran pilots paid the lost flyer
q compliment for having been able
to set the plane down in the rough
country and live through the crash.
What forced Smith TO land was
not known.