FROM BED OF SNOW.

Auckland Star, Issue 265, 8 November 1929, Page 7

FROM BED OF SNOW.

Byrd's 'Plane Dug Out After Six Months' Idleness.

READY FOR SERIOUS WORK

(Received 10 a.m.)

NEW YORK, November 7. [By Mr. Russell Owen. Copyrighted 192S by the " New York Times " Company and the " St. Louis Post Dispatch." All rights for publication reserved throughout the world. Wireless to the " New York Times."]

BAY OF WHALES, November 6.

The three-motored Ford aeroplane emerged from its hole in the snow yesterday. The men pulled the ropes and its wide, thick wing lifted slowly over the snow until it stood perched on the top, like a prehistoric bird of this lost continent. Now it lies beside the small Fairchild 'plane, looming above it, and this floating hunk of ice on the edge of a wilderness begins to look like an aviation camp.

The 'plane was buried in a snow hangar until only its wing showed above the surface. When it was put away last fall with the centre section and wing motors in place, a deep hole was dug and a wall of snow blocks was built around the edge while the top was covered with canvas. There it lay safely all winter up to its neck in the snowdrift.

The day before yesterday everyone in camp who could be spared began to shovel snow from the front of the 'plane, making a ramp up which it could be taxied to the surface. Forty-one tons of snow were dug out in one day.

The snow was sawed into blocks weighing 50 to 100 pounds and then hauled on the sledges to the surface and dumped. It reminded one of a picture of the Egyptian slaves quarrying stone for the Pyramids, hauling blocks up the ramps with the ropes over their shoulders. It was tiring and monotonous work for the men, but 41 tons were moved in the day. Yesterday the front wall of the hangar was torn down and the blunt aggressive nose of the 'plane was exposed.

A blow torch was put under the pendulous sack from the motor covering to heat the centre motor. At the first impulse of the starter it turned over and purred rhythmically as if it had been in use every day, instead of lying idle, waiting for this day for more than a year. It soon will 'be ready for a trial flight.