THE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16699, 6 December 1919, Page 11

THE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

AEBOPLANE DASH TO POLE.

(By Cabl«—Press Association—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, December 2. Tho Blackburn Company is constructing a singlc-cngined biplane for Dr. Cope's Antarctic expedition to mnko tho final 400 miles' dash to tho South Polo. It will have a great lifting capacity, and will carry four men, including Dr. Copo and Mr Wilkins, also a considerable quantity of sledging and camping equipment and provisions for at least 10 weeks to moot an emergency in the event of the machino crashing and necessitating tho return of tho men on foot. It will carry sufficient petrol to covqr 12,000 miles owing to their being no likelihood of following a direct routo. It will start for tho Polo from tho Great Ice Barrier and will fly at an altitude of 5000 feet, bnt tho machine must bo capable of flying at 11,000 foot, which, owing to the rarefiod atmosphere, will be cqnal to 21,000 feet in lower latitudes. It must bo warmed throughout, and tho wholo _fuselage must bo airtight. " Tho machine will bo Bent to Scandinavia in January to test its suitability for cold regions. It will have an oil-cooled engine, as a watercooled or air-cooled engine would bo impracticable owing to freezing and fragility.