ANTARCTIC FLIGHT

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27705, 8 July 1955, Page 10

ANTARCTIC FLIGHT

U.S. Planes May Use Harewood MCMURDO SOUND AS TERMINAL

(N Z Press Association —Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) NEW YORK, July 7. The United States Navy was planning to fly six or eight planes nonstop from New Zealand 'to McMurdo Sound in Antarctica, during December, a “New York Times” correspondent reported from Paris today. He said the planes could take off from Harewood about December 17. The correspondent, Walter ° ul “- van, said the mission would be the first flight in history to link Antarctica with the other land areas. The chief United Stages air base in Antarctica during the operations of the next, three years was to be on the bay ice at the head of McMurdo Sound. , . ... The sound lay in the sector claimed by New Zealand and chosen by the New Zealanders as the base site for their own expedition, to be led by Sir Edmund Hillary, the conqueror of Everest. Sullivan said the current emphasis in the Antarctic was on co-operation, and the United States navy had undertaken to haul in equipment and supplies for the New Zealanders, who were, in turn, to lay depots along the route to be followed by a British transcontinental tractor party. Sullivan reported that the decision to place the air base at McMurdo Sound meant that Navy construction battalions would have to build four year-round bases in the Antarctic. The others would be at the South Pole, in Marie Byrd Land and in the Little America area, probably at Kainan Bay. The correspondent said the United States Navy’s accelerated and enlarged programme in the Antarctic was made known by expedition planners, who were attending a conference which opened in Paris yesterday to co-ordinate preparation for the various Antarctic explorations. The first task of the Navy expedition would be to support the groups of scientists who would make observations at the four United States stations. A fifth outpost would be established at the foot of the Beardmore Glacier while the flights to the pole were in progress. If there was time during the coming season, an icebreaker would also establish an emergency cache at Vahsel Bay, at the head of the Weddell Sea on the opposite side of the continent. Scouting Mission The United States icebreaker Atka, on a preliminary scouting mission for the future exploration, discovered in January that one side of the Bay of Whales had gone to sea when part, of the continental ice sheet cracked off. This destroyed the traditional harbour of Little America, so it was expected that the Little America base would be placed at Kainan Bay, 30 miles to the cast. Sullivan said that wherever this base was placed, it would still be called Little America. From there, tractor trains would haul several hundred tons of supplies to an advanced base at latitude 20 degrees south, longitude 120 degrees west,, which has been designed Byrd Station. During the summer of 1955-56. the i United States Navy planned to have 15 icebreakers in the Antarctic. Two would sail on October 30 from Norfolk,. Virginia, and Boston, Massachusetts. The icebreakers would push to McMurdo Sound as early as possible and land a party to examine the ice and make sure it was suitable for skiequipped planes. Then icebreakers would land a reconnaissance party if possible, at Kainan Eay, to scout out a site for the Little America bay. Subsequently, ships of the expedition would line up along longitude 170 degrees east at intervals of about 250 miles. They would thus provide a line of rescue parties and radio beacons between Harewood, Christchurch. New Zealand, the take-off point, and McMurdo Sound. Sullivan said the most spectacular beacon of all would be Mount Erebus, an active volcano beside McMurdo Sound. It was hoped that on or about December 17, at least six planes could take off from Harewood and head south over the ships and the icepack.

NAVY BOMBERS TO BE USED Details Of Plans And Equipment FLIGHT NEXT YEAR BY GLOBEMASTERS United States Navy Neptune longrange patrol bombers equipped with both wheels and skis will make the first flights from New Zealand to the Antarctic. In October next year three United States Air Force Globemaster transports will fly to the Little America region. From there they will fly over the South Pole to drop heavy equipment for the construction of one of three observation bases which will be used by scientists during the International Geophysical Year. Captain George Dufek, task force commander of the United States Navy South Polar expedition, which will be led by Rear-Admiral R. E. Byrd, announced earlier this year that Douglas DC-3 and DC-4 transport aircraft would also be used. The expedition would leave the United States in November and would have 14 aircraft, five ships—two ice-breakers, two cargo ships, and a refuelling ship—and 1250 men. The sea-borne party would prepare compacted snow runways for the aircraft to operate /jfrom. They would be 150yds wide and one mile long.