Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 114, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1919 — NAVY SEAPLANES READY FOR JUMP [ARTICLE]

NAVY SEAPLANES READY FOR JUMP

I NC-4 Reaches, and the C-5, or “.Blimp,” Passes Over Halifax. MACHINES MAY START TODAY NC-1 and NC-3 Are Waiting at Trepassey, N. F., the Jumping Off Place of the Flight to the Azores—Weather Is Fine. Halltax, N. S„ May 15—The American naval seaplane NC-4, which was forced on the' first leg of the transAtiantic flight to stop at Chatham, Mass., for repairs, arrived here Wednesday at 2:05 'p. m. The machine started at daylight to join the NC-1 and NC-3 at Trepassey, N. F., the jumping off place of the flight to the Azores. t While the NC-4 was being overhauled tey the aviation crew of the tender Baltimore, the United States dirigible C-5 passed over at 5:50 p. m. on its way to St. Johns, N. F., Whence it may attempt a flight across the Atlantic. The “blimp” was aided by a strong wind and was traveling over 50 miles an hour. The dirigible sailed from Montauk Point, N. Y., at 8 a. m. Wednesday.

99 Miles an Hour. . The seaplane NC-4 shattered the speed marks set by her sister planes on the trip to Halifax, covering the 340 miles at an average speed of a fraction under 99 land miles per hour Lieutenant Commander Read, “skjp per” of the plane, said “minor matters,” principal among them delay in starting from Chatham, had upset the original plan to make a straight flight from the Massachusetts coast to Newfoundland. Lieutenant Commander Read stated he first observed his plane’s high speed when he sighted the first destroyer in the warship patrol much sooner than he expected. With a fresh southwesterly breeze augmenting the driving power of the engines, the flyers passed she southwestern end of Nova Scotia shortly after one o’clock. They maintained a height of 500 to 1,000 feet nearly all the way. Weather Conditions Perfect. The aviation crew aboard the tender Baltimore began overhauling the motors and propellers as soon as the plane was brought alongside. Lieutenant Commander Read said he was uncertain whether new propellers would be installed for the cruise to Tfepassey.

The voyage from Chatham, he stated, was made without engine trouble and under perfect weather conditions, the coast line being in sight all the way. May Start Flight Today. Washington, May 15.—The American naval seaplanes NC-1 and NC-3 probably will be in flight before sundown today in an attempt to cross the Atlantic ocean through the air. Official reports to the navy department from Trepassey bay, N. F., the starting point of the proposed flight, Intimated that the “hop off” would be made within 24 hours, as favorable weather along the route to the Azores was Indicated. The navy dirigible C-5 also may attempt the long cross ocean trip from St Johns Friday. x