Hercules Ready For Antarctic Mission

Press, Volume C, Issue 29480, 5 April 1961, Page 16

Hercules Ready For Antarctic Mission

Two United States Navy Hercules aircraft of VX6 Squadron arrived in Christchurch yesterday from their base at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, to prepare for a mercy mission in the Antarctic, the evacuation of a Russian exchange scientist, Mr Leonid Kuperov, who is suffering from a chronic ulcer complaint. Mr Kuperov is at Byrd station, more than 800 miles from the United States base on Ross Island, in McMurdo Sound, and requires medical treatment which cannot be given there. His.condition at present is comfortable. Only one Hercules will make the trip to the Antarctic. The other aircraft will remain in Christchurch to act as a relief if there is a mishap. The first Hercules, piloted by Commander L. Newcomer, the executive officer of the squadron, arrived in Christchurch at 9.15 a.m. and the second aircraft, piloted by Captain W. H. Munson, commanding officer of the squadron, arrived at 12.15 p.m. The aircraft will remain in Christchurch until weather conditions in the Antarctic improve. The weather at McMurdo Sound is reported to have moderated after recent violent storms, but as well as good weather in the Antarctic. favourable winds from Christchurch to McMurdo Sound are also wanted. Spare parts, a doctor, meteorological staff and mail will be carried by the Hercules on the trip to McMurdo Sound and Byrd Station. At Byrd Station daylight officially finishes on April

20, but it has been decided that if the Hercules is detained in Christchurch until then it will still carry out the mission, even though It will mean taking off and landing in the twilight. The United States Navy icebreaker, Staten Island, which was ordered to take up a position halfway between Lyttelton and the Antarctic to help the ice-breaker Edisto and the Hercules with weather and navigation reports, will now stay on the picket duty until the Hercules mission is completed. The Staten Island is now about 200 miles from its station.

The Edisto, which lost one of its two propellers on Sunday after being buffeted by storms in the Ross Sea, is still battling through heavy seas on its return trip to Lyttelton. The ship is making about eight to nine knots and is expected to reach Lyttelton within eight or nine days. Rear-Admiral D. M. Tyree, the commander of the United States Navy support force in the Antarctic, has postponed his departure from New Zealand until the Hercules has carried out the operation.