Show 9 S e Fliers Hop Off Over Pacific Giant Army Plane Starts Epoch l T Trip to Honolulu y With M ifland J as Pilot tr 1 FLYING FL VING TO HONOLULU Y 0 z f I so ISO ho t i Upper left Lieutenant left Lieutenant Albert F. F Hegenberger and right Lieu Lieutenant tenant Lester J. J Maitland army fliers who hopped off Tuesday morning morning morn morn- ing from Oakland airport for Hawaii Map show vast expanse of water about 2360 2350 miles they must cover Takeoff Is From Oakland Airport at Weather Weather Weather Wea- Wea ther Is Ideal J JAIR AIR CHIEF ON HAND HAfiD Going to Do My B Best st l V Y Says Pilot SAN FRANCISCO Cal Jun Juno June 28 23 AP AP- AP The AP-The The naval radio re reported reported re- re ported at 1025 a. a m. m today that the army radio service communicated communicated communicated v with the Fokker army plane i that left the Oakland municipal airport at a. a m. m The army plane was miles off the coast at that time The army Fokker passed over the steamer American Ameri- Ameri can Legion miles out SAN FRANCISCO Cal Cat June 28 off from the AP After AP After hopping Oakland municipal airport at 2 1 a. a ip m. m without effort or or much ceremony the giant army Fokker piloted by Lieutenant Lester Leater Lea Les ter J J. J Maitland and with Lieutenant Albert Hegenberger as navigator passed paned through the Golden Gate at a m m. today an and C the tow pacific O I lulu u I u. u 2000 IN AI AIR As the big army plane passed i through the Golden Gate and was was' opposite Lands Land's End the most moat v weSt st r erly point on the San Francisco coast line It was 2000 feet In the air The steamer Matsonia coming in from Honolulu the of ot the airplane blew Its whistle In J Jone one long blast bidding the aviators goodbye As the fliers lieu climbed into Into the plane they were ched-by ched Major Ma Jor General Mason Patrick chief o of the army air service who who shoo hands with th them m with a a. warm warm Un gering clasp i i. BIDS GOODBYE God bless bles you my boys b ys tho p. 2 general said to the two fliers r tI t fi know you are going to doit tr v li r. r Lieutenant replied General you OU know Im I'm to do 10 my best f to Then he and Hegenberger Hegenberg r waved to 0 the crowds and their v Plane Ilane V Just as the t motors started Ernest Ernea r L. L Smith pilot of the civilian Plan pian which was expected to follow the army plane Into the air all within th the i next few hours ran In front of the army aimy plane and his ls is hands hands- together He lie thrust them them over overhead hl his he head d and mutated imitated a handshake handshake so jp- jp that both Lieutenant Maitland and and iI j 2 Hegenberger I could see see him him through lg the windshield of ot th the pilots I cabin RIVALS SMILE Good luck luckl Smith shouted at t i Continued on pa page 3 A Giant Army Plane Iane Starts Epochal Trip to Honolulu With Maitland nd as Pilot Piot Pi ot Continued from page 1 1 the top of his voice and the friendly rivals who were beating him to th the takeoff smiled and nodded The plane started down do the runway runway runway run run- way raising such a great loud of ot dust that the spectators could not see the machine The screams of several women could be heard amidst the cheers of the he spectators They feared the huge juge m machine chine might not leave the ground successfully Seconds that seemed seemed minutes elapsed before the drab-colored drab wings s of ot the arm army p pane ane were s seen en ento to emerge from flom the cloud of dust CROWD CH CHEERS off oft they're In the air shouted the crowd and another cheer cheel arose from civilians and army army- men Overhead circling and swinging about the field were several army service planes As soon as the Fokker cleared the ground these escort machines straightened out on ona ona ona a westerly cour course e and fell feB in f forma rma Ion Uon behind belind the Fokker 81 as 3 she passed massed over San San Fran Francisco Franisco Isco bay heading leading toward the Golden Gate The fleet flet of esco escort t planes left the Fokker as swung out over the sea at at an altitude estimated at 2000 feet The secondary question was When will Smith leave leaver leaver- All night long mechanics worked on the Smith plane to correct final det details lIs Smith and his navigator Charles H. H Carter of Los Angeles arrived at the camp shortly before the army Y plane took off They said they had enjoyed four hours four hours sleep during the night and Were ere ready to leave as soon as the plane was pronounced pro- pro complete in all details An unexpected delay was encountered encountered encountered when Smith found he needed neede a new altimeter Army air service officials offered Smith the use o of one of their altimeters and a p pane pan ane was dispatched to Crissy field for forthe forthe forthe the instrument SMOKE BOMBS The army officials also loaned Smith smoke and flare drop bombs with which he might check his drift during the day and night Smith declared he hoped to be able to take takeoff takeoff off oft during the morning Lieutenant Maitland's parents Mr and Mrs J J. W. W Maitland Of Burlingame Burlingame Bur- Bur lingame Cal were on the field to witness the takeoff To them went the final hand wave e ilot as a- the athe the plane started rolling roiling along long he runway Neither the father nor nl mother th r wo would ld discuss their sons son's venture after the plane departed IS NERVOUS Smith displayed signs of nervous ness when it was announced that the altimeter 1 Installed In his plane would not function correctly His fa father her led him away way and a as they conversed In low tones the parent patted palled his son on n the shoulder as as- Smith was perturbed by bythe bythe bythe the setback but he believes he e c can n overtake o the the army plane even t 1 though ugh the latter had a three-hour three head start tart of ot him This belle beliet was based on the es estimated es' es speed of the two planes s s. s The army plane was expected to travel about 90 miles mils an hour houi f for forthe forthe r the first 2000 miles and then In Increase Increase increase In- In crease in proportion to 10 the decre s. s ing weight of gasoline INCREASE SPEED Smith expected to take the dir air lr at about 90 miles mlles an hour and Increase In- In in increase n cre crease se until unlit he attained Piles miles 11 per hour at the finish |