NORTH BY AIR.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18101, 17 June 1924, Page 7

NORTH BY AIR.

THE POLAR FLIGHT.

CAPTAIN AMUNDSEN'S PLANS.

(BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION COPYRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.) (Received June 16th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, June 16. The "Daily Chronicle" says that Captain Roald Amundsen has stated that he expects his flight to the North Pole will begin in the middle of July, when there is most water around the Pole, and end in the middle of August. All three of the aeroplanes will be fitted with skis, and so will be able to take off from, or land'bn land, water ice, or snow. The flight from Pisa (Italy) to Spitsbergen—23oo miles—will be an acid test of pilots and material. The aeroplanes' mother ship, of 400 tonß, is now being equipped at Tromso, and will bo sent as far north as the ice permits. Starting from the ship, Captain Amundsen proposes that the three aeroplanes, loaded to their full capacity with gasolene, shall fly 400 miles, whan Captain Amundsen leaves the first, 'piano, which gives its surplus fuel to fill the tanks of fne other aeroplanes. The second and third aeroplanes will go on another 400 miles, when the second wjll fill the tanks of the tbird, which will enable Captain Amundsen to reach Alaska, the other Wo aeroplanes meanwhile acting as radio stations and keeping the expedition in touch with the ship and with Spitsbergen. Special messages describing Amundsen's flight will be despatched by wireless from the aeroplanes to the '.'o/aily Chronicle'' during the flight. t Lieutenant Davison, of the American Navy, pilots the first 'plane; that con* tributed by Italy will be commanded by Locateli, who accompanied d'Annunzio in his flight over Vienna during the war. ' Haakon Hammer will be responsible for the search for the ships Annie and Teddy to the North East of Greenland.