UNKNOWN ANTARCTIC.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 August 1927, Page 5

UNKNOWN ANTARCTIC.

EXPLORATION BY AIRMEN. PLAN OF CAPTAIN WILKINS. LOS ANGELES, July 19. Captain Wilkins plans zd fly from the UJniiitedi States to New Zealand, via Tokio and Australia, en route to the Antarctic Circle, where lie will undertake a 3000-male aerial exploration. He announced his intentions tonight, when lie expressed the hope oi beginning his ambitious undertaking in September, reaching the Bay ol Whiaiks,’ inside the Antarctic Circle, in time to establish ia- base for making a record polar flight in December. Wilkins indicated indirectly his desire to be the first to fly from the United States to Australia, and ©aid that he had every intention of hopping off this autumn, but lie also stated that he may abandon the giant Fokker aeroplane, in which he made liis Arcticflight, and purchase a seaplane from the Loekhead factory at Los Angelos. Although the aerial features of Wilkins’ plan alone represents a tremendous underbaking, the' explorer regards the flight involved as secondary to investigations of meteorological conditions in the unknown regions that lie between the Bay of Whales and Graham Land, in the Polar Circle. Wilkins will make his base at the Bay of Whales, hopping off during December, with a pilot, who, as yet, lias not been chosen, to cover t'he 300 C miles of unknown territory.

There will, be no- place to land in the event of accident until the whaling grounds. off Graham Ida ml, are reached.

Wilkins made uq mention of bis trip as being in any wav comnetitivo with the expedition to be headed by Commander Bvrd.