IN ANTARCTIC

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 53, 26 November 1928, Page 11

IN ANTARCTIC

FIRST AEROPLANE FLIGHT BY WILKINS AND EIELSON SATISFACTORY TESTS OF BOTH MACFEES (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) * London, November 23. Sir George Wilkins sends a wireless message via Port Stanley, Falkland i s i es; —“The first aeroplane flight in the Antarctic was made to-day, Eielson and Wilkins flying the same ’plane they used in their Arctic flight. The ‘plane, which has been renamed the Los Angeles, circled Deception Island. Later the explorers tested the second machine, the San Francisco. Although the temperature was near freezing point, the engines worked splendidly.” [Sir George Wilkins, accompanied by Lieut. C. B. Eielson, chief air pilot, Joe Crosson, second pilot, and a small party of mechanics and other assistants, left Montevideo on October 24 on board the Norwegian whaling factory ship Hektoria (formerly the White Star liner Medic) for the Antarctic via the Falkland Islands. The expedition is equipped with two Lock-heed-Vega ’planes. Wilkins’s venture is practically a dasli from Graham’s Land over the South Pole to some point on tlie Ross Sea, where, if he succeeds in his flight, he will be picked up by the Norwegian whaler N. T. Neilsen-Alon-so.] SCOTT’S EXPEDITION FILM PURCHASED FOR BRITISH NATION (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, November 23. The famous kinematograph record of the late Captain Scott’s expedition to the South Pole was yesterday purchased for the nation. It will be held in custody by the British Empire Film Institute, and is the first film to be acquired. Efforts had been made by the American Museum to. acquire the film, £50,000 being offered for it. Mr. Herbert Ponting, photographer to Scott's expedition and the owner of the film, was, however, willing to accept a considerably smaller sum in order to preserve it for Britain. Arrangements are being made for its exhibition throughout Britain, the Dominions, and the colonies, and a contract has already been made i its display in the United States. . ■ a background to this remarkable i • graphic record there are the known stories of Captain Scott’s and Captain Oates’s self-sacrifice standing episodes in the histoi ■. Polar exploration.