Planes Ready For Antarctic Flight

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30558, 29 September 1964, Page 18

Planes Ready For Antarctic Flight

Mail will be dropped to men at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole scientific station tomorrow by the • United States Navy Hercules which will be flying Rear-Admiral J. R. Reedy, commander of the United States Antarctic naval support force from Melbourne to McMurdo Station. Admiral Reedy left Christchurch aboard the Hercules yesterday at 12.15 p.m. for Melbourne. The pilot of the aircraft when it makes the flight from Melbourne will be Commander F. S. Gallup, VX6 Squadron. The aircraft will cross the Antarctic coast near the [South Magnetic Pole and then proceed to the South Pole where the first mail for five months will be dropped by air to the 22 men at the station. From the South Pole the | aircraft will fly direct to Mc-| Murdo Station. The 3900-mile flight should take nearly 144 hours. As Admiral Reedy’s plane approaches the Antarctic continent two Hercules from Christchurch will land at McMurdo, refuel and remain on standby. These planes will carry men to replace some of the wintering party at the base, and more than 50001 b of mail. The aircraft from Chile which will make up the three flight assault from three countries early yesterday made a successful reconnaissance flight over Elephant Island and parts of the Antarctic Peninsula. This Hercules was recently modified to include special photo-map-ping equipment capable of photographing large areas of>

land at varied altitudes. A second probe over Marguerite Bay may be made today. Two National Science Foundation representatives and two Chilean Air Force observers will be on the flights. The Hercules will return to Chabunco Field, near Punta Arenas, ready for tomorrow’s flight to McMurdo Station where it is due to land one hour after Admiral Reedy’s plane. The runway at McMurdo Station is ready to receive the aircraft. At Hallett Station 6000 ft of runway has been prepared and work is progressing steadily on the remaining 2000 ft. It is expected to be ready today.