IN THE ANTARCTIC,

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17612, 17 January 1929, Page 7

IN THE ANTARCTIC,

BYRD’S' EXPEDITION. AEROPLANE ON THE . ICE. EVE OF TEST FLIGHT. [By Mr. Russell Owen, Copyrighted 1928 by the New York Times Company, and the St. Louis post-Dispatclt All rights for publication reserved throughout tne world. Wireless to the New Torn Times.! (By Telegraph—Press Assn.— -Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) (Received January 17, 9.40 a.m.) (From the Byrd Expedition). BAY OF WHALES, Jan. 15. “All is quiet. The monsters of this silent white land looked down to-day on a new phenomenon, which appeared to challenge them. A slim, graceful shape, with blue outstretched wings, was set down.on the ice and is now rearing and spurting snow behind it. In a few hours it will be winging away above the impassable cliffs and over- ice across which men have trudged painfully to gain a few miles that they might know something of the Antarctic, that land which has wrecked so many hopes and taken so many lives. It is the first aeroplane to wing its .way over the continent, because Graham Land has proved to be an island and not.an integral part of this mysterious country, j The plane is called the Stars and Stripes. Just by chance or because the crates fitted it, it was that plane, significant of Americans furthest south in the Antarctic, which was first brought down here by the Byrd expedition. Day of Jubilation. It was a day of gratification and jubilation to the men who have carried boxes and crates, hauled goods and supplies by dogs and human hands for miles, worked with broken lips and skin and sore eyes from blindness, worked till they could hardly see with fatigue. The graceful creature of the air was rigged and slipped over the side to-day without a hitch, and when, under push by many hands, it slid out into the smooth white surface uninjured, and carrying with it all the hopes of many months, a great cheer went up that was as spontaneous and grateful as the hearts of many willing men could make it. “It was the first actual visualisation of all the long labours by the expedition members, and they felt that their work had at lasl had its first actual reward. Merely a thing of steel and wood and fabric, with a purring giant in its bow, it represents accomplishment, and eveh though not a great amount of exploration may be done this year, that aeroplane is the symbol of everything the expedition has meant to those who have given to it their entire energy. “The unloading of the plane was a piece of work which everyone might feel proud, from the men who ran the winch to the mechanic out in the snow who dug himself into a hole and wrapped a rope around him so that it might not slip. First Test Flight. “The first test flight will be made in a few hours, when the machine will be taken up by Captain Alton Parker., of the Marine Corps. It will travel over country which has never before been witnessed by any means of travel less primitive than hauling with dogs. The motor is being warmed up now, and a final checking of the valves and inspection of the parts is being made. The wings were carried over the side on the shoulders of men dow-n a slippery piank with not a single mishap or scrape of the tender surface. “When it was thought that the downward weight was a little too much for the men below a man took a headlong dive to the snow landing, sprawling on his face, but jumped up in a second to put his shoulders under the weight and gave just the added holding power that was needed.” “The aeroplane will be taken to the base, nine miles from here as soon as it has been tested, and though it may be flown back and forth a few times with loads between ship and shore, It will be kept here, where it will bo secure if Ice goes out suddenly. “When Commandant Amundsen landed here eighteen years ago to-day, the bay ice was all out, but to-day it is as solid apparently as when we arrived, so flying between ship arid shore must be done cautiously, if the aeroplane is not to get on a piece of floating ic.e so small that a take off would be impossible. Extraordinary Visibility. “Another thing which limits flying ''down here. On days when it seems fairly clear, it is almost impossible to distinguish the surface and a man walking on skis will find himself stumbling over obstacles which he cannot see. The result is that landing with the exception of a few days of the month is always risky as there arc no shadows to indicate undulations on the surface. This difficulty will he obviated at the base by the many tents, bouses and flags to aid the. pilot in judging bis distance from the ground, but til ere arc days when no artificial assistance it of the slightest effect. Then flying is out of the question. “However Commander Byrd, and ids pilots believe that a number of important explorations and mapping flights may be gnade before winter storms put an end to operations.”