SUPPLIES FOR DEPOT 700

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28480, 9 January 1958, Page 8

SUPPLIES FOR DEPOT 700

Planes To Fly In More Fuel

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SCOTT BASE, Jan. 8

Immediate plans are being made at Scott Base to take further supplies to Depot 700 for Dr. Vivian Fuchs’s party. When Dr. Fuchs reaches the depot Sir Edmund Hillary plans to fly in with Murray Ellis to conduct the British party through the remainder of the journey. Sir Edmund Hillary said this morning: “If Dr. Fuchs wishes to continue across, our job is to see he does it as quickly and safely as possible. We will use our local knowledge of the area to try to give him a fast trip to Scott Base and beat the weather.” Both the New Zealand Beaver and the British Otter which made the flight from South Ice will be used to take the new supplies tc the depot. As the first move the Beaver will fly to the staging depot previously set up just north of Shackleton Inlet. This will be done tomorrow. The Beaver will store five drums of aviation fuel at this point to be used for re-, fuelling during the return flight of the Beaver and the Otter from Depot 700.

The further stocking, of Depot 700 by the Beaver and Otter is planned to be done in one flight. Dr. Fuchs asked for seven to 10 drums of motor fuel, and the aircraft will take in eight drums between them. To reach Depot 700 Dr. Fuchs and his party still have about 750 miles to go. On the 500-mile leg from the Pole to the depot most of the route is good. The main problem will be the weather. Bob Miller and George Marsh are starting back from the eastern moutains with their dog teams to provide ground support for the aircraft.