CARGO DROPS IN ANTARCTIC

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29008, 24 September 1959, Page 12

CARGO DROPS IN ANTARCTIC

“Hot Bunk” System

Planned

The “hot-bunk” system will be used by the United States Air Force for supply-dropping operations in Antarctica this summer. There will be six crews for the three Globemasters which are to be used. A crew for each aircraft will be sleeping while the Globemasters are away on the supply-dropping mission to the South Pole and Byrd stations. When the flight returns three crews will leap out of their bunks at McMurdo Sound and before the "hot - bunks” have time to cool the crews of the three aircraft which have just returned for more supplies wiil take their places. The rested men will then take the refuelled and reloaded Globemasters away to drop more cargo.

In that way the enormous amount of cargo to be flown in to the various inland bases this year will arrive there in the shortest possible time. With 1500 tons of cargo to be dropped on 150 flights it is necessary for the operation to be run on a 24-hour basis. First Flight South

The first flight from Christchurch to McMurdo Sound will be made by Rear-Admiral David M. Tyree in his Skymaster probably on October 1. He will land at Invercargill for the aircraft to take on fuel before making the long trip to the Antarctic. If conditions are suitable Admiral Tyree will send a signal about 24 hours later for the first Globemasters to start oil for McMurdo. The Navy’s Super Constellation will leave about the same time with passengers. A Neptune and two Dakotas will also leave for McMurdo at that time with passengers and some cargo.

None of the parachute cargodropping at inland stations will begin until the supplies and men have been “prepositioned” so that everything is ready for the complete operation. Then it will just be a case of the Air Force dropping cargo as fast as the Navy can recover it.