TO THE POLE

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 17 June 1924, Page 7

TO THE POLE

AMUNDSEN’S PLANS. USE OF THREE ’PLANES. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT LONDON, June 16. 'The Daily Chronicle says that Captain Ronald Amundsen, the Norwegian explorer, states that he expects bis flight to the North Pole will begin in the middle of July, when most water is around the Pole, and end in the middle of August. All three of the Dornier whale aeroplanes are fitted with skis in order to be able to land oh from, or land on, water, ice or snow. The flight from Pisa. (Italy) to Spitsbergen, a small group of islands in the Arctic Ocean, a, distance of 2300 miles, will be the' acid test of the pilots and the material. The aeroplanes’ mother ship of four hundred tons is now being equipped at Tronso (Norway) and will be sent as far north as the ice permits.

Starting from the .ship, Captain Amundsen proposes that the three aeroplanes, loaded to their full capacity with gasolene, will fly four hundred miles, when Captain Amundsen leaves the first plane, which gives it surplus fuel to fill the tanks of the other aeroplanes.

The second and third aeroplanes will go on another four hundred miles, when the, second null fill the tanks of the third, which will enable Captain Amundsen to reach Alaska. The other two aeroplanes will meanwhile act as radio stations, keeping the expedition in touch with the ship and Spitsbergen. Special messages, describing Captain Amundsen’s flight, will be despatched by wireless from the aeroplanes to the Daily Chronicle din ing the flight.

Lieutenant Davidson, of the American the first ’plane, that contributed by Italy being commanded by Locatelli, who accompanied D'Annunzio' in the flight over Vienna duriii o, the war, Haakon Hammer will be sponsible for the search for the ships at Anie Teddy, in north-east Greenland.