AMUNDSEN’S AIRPLANES

Evening Star, Issue 18926, 28 April 1925, Page 5

AMUNDSEN’S AIRPLANES

PREPARING FOR FLIGHT Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, April 26. Captain Amundsen, in a wireless message from King’s Bay, says ; “The work of assembling the planes is proceeding satisfactorily. Both planes are now ashore with their engines iixod, and they have been tried, with excellent results. They started easily, despite tho bitter cold. The only work remaining is to fix tho wings in position. Provided nothing unforeseen occurs, the planes should bo ready for tho trial flight on Saturday week. The meteorologists and wireless operators on board the Fram are busy receiving weather reports. Special notices are being received via Washington and Stavanger. It was unfortunately found impossible to receive flirect messages from St. Paul and Behring Strait. Several balloons are being sent up daily to determine tho direction and velocity of tho higher winds. When tho planes are finished observations of tho temperature and moisture at 3,000 metres will foe concluded. Captain. Ellsworth, both pilots, and myself arc daily testing the instruments and making observations with a view to gaining practice in the. methods of navigation to De used during the flight. After clear but bitterly cold weather during tho last few days, the conditions are now mild, cloudy, and foggy.”—A. and X.Z. Cable.