The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-10-07
'Dreumboot' Clears Polar 
 Learns U. $.
 Open to Attack
 From North

SdlIO, OCI. - NOEJ - SOl. V. D. Irvine, commander, landed the US. Army Euper-Fortress "Pacusan Dreamboat" here yesterday after a nonstop 10,854-mile flights over the top of the world from Honolulu in the recor dtime of 39 hours and 37 minutes.
 Col Irvine and his nine-man crew set the Dreamboat down on Payne field yesterday after flying over part of the Pacific, Alaska, Canada, the magnetic polar area, Greenland, Iceland, the British Isles, Switzerland, Italy and the Mediterranean.
 Extra fuel was consumed in high altitude flying to avoid severe icing conditions Otherwise, Col. Irvine said, the Dreamboat could have continued the flight to Khartoum, Africa, gro miles farther south.
 Average 240 Miles an Hour
 (Gen. Carl A. Spaatz, chief
 of the Army Air Forces, said in
 Washington that the f1igth was
 an epochal achievement in
 aeronautical history. He said
 the Army had been provided
 with valuable information con-
 corning long-range polar
 f1ights)
 Since we were able to make the flight successfully with standard airforce equipment that was de- veloped forf war against Japan, Col. Irvine said, now we are aware of what improvements are neces- sary to make such flights routine in the future"
 Irvine estimated that the Dream boat average 24o miles an hour, which the Boeing Aircraft Com pany said was record for such long range flights.
 The Navy's Truculent Turtle av- eraged 215 miles an hour in its Ill., 250-mile nonstop flight from Perth Australia to Columbus, O., last week and the Dreamboat average 234 miles an hour on previous flight from Guam to Washington.
 GyrOscOpe Guides Navigator
 Irvine's estimated speed was based on $500 nautical miles.
 Irvine said magnetic compasses "whirled madly' when the Dream boat crossed the polar area and that Maj. N. P. Hays. Seneca, Mo, the navigator, was guided by a To- pound electrical gyroscope during that time It was learned that dependable gyroscope is one of the chief requirements for safe polar navigation. Irvine said the flight disclosed that the true magnetic North Pole is at least POO miles north of the point indicated on maps.
 Hawaiian tokens carried by the Dreamboat included copies of the Honolulu Advertiser headlined: Aloha to King Farouk and the people of Egypt by the Pacusan Dreamboat, and a green aloha shirt" for the United Press Cairo manager with the compliments of the United Press staff in Hawaii
 Irvine and his crew were tired when they stepped from the Dreamboat at 7:54 A. M. GMT., (2:54 A. M, EST) Sunday, but all were smiling. They were greeted by members of the Egyptian Aeroclub and battery of photographers. Most of the crew clept the clock around in Cairo's famous "Shep- heard's Hotel. Several parties were arranged for Irvine and the crew, but the colonel was awaiting in- structions from Washington con- corning the Dreamboat's future 
 Ship Guided Most by Panels
 Irvine said the Dreamboat was guided by instruments during most of the flight and that light thun- derstorms were encountered over the Mediterranean. Flying over the polar are awas smooth, he said. The carried 13,0OO gallons of gasoline when it took of from Honolulu and arrived at Cairo with 400 gallons.
 Irvine flashed radio message to Payne field requesting permission to make straight-in landing because of the dwindling fuel supply. He said the 400 gallons of gasoline was barely enough to wet the bottom of our tanks"
 The original plan was to reach Khartoum,' Irvine said, "and we would have succeeded if weather conditions hadn't forced us upwards over the polar region"