Show cello ary Hun ji I PLANES SET FOR SEA HOP ct nt d t how ho ere were ere i in J t Greatest Navy Air Fleet FleetIn Fleet FleetIn In History Will Fly From Hawaii to Midway Island h J Jt t 4 I w- w i i I Admiral Reeves 1200 zoo Officers and Crew to Take Off at 6 a. a a II m. m Thursday in Giant Seaplanes as Part of War Maneuvers in Pacific Copyright 1935 United Press v I- i HONOLULU May 8 Aircraft 8 became a major factor in Americas America's peacetime panorama of war war on the Pacific today with disclosure that 42 fighting planes will attempt the greatest mass mass mass' flight in history a as part of naval maneuvers The flight will involve officers and enlisted men The mighty armada is scheduled to take off oU at 6 a a. a m. m tomorrow v for a mile 1200 hop to Midway island where it will join a section section sec sec- tion of the fleet engaged in maneuvers in neighboring waters The United Press learned from naval officials that Admiral Joseph H H. Reeves in commander-in-chief of the fleet ordered the flight It will be routine a mere phase of the navys navy's gigantic maneuvers in which most of Americas America's naval forces are engaged ALL PLANS KEPT SECRET Only the bare confirmation that the flight was projected and would be made could be obtained All plans were as secret a athose ak those cloaking a bombing raid in war time The same secrecy has hidden the movements of all units of the fleet which steamed into the Pacific Friday from harbors extending from San Diego to Alaska P Pearl arl harbot harbor naval base hase officials even eve refused to confirm arrivals and departures of warships engaged in maneuvers maneuvers Even the families of officers and men were ordered to maintain silence Preparations for the flight apparently w were re going forward rapidly with the only possibility of delay seemingly dependent upon the weather j 1 Admiral A. A W. W Johnson commander o of the San Cal I aircraft base left Pearl harbor aboard the U. U S. S S. S Chester His destination was unannounced I. I OFFICIAL INDEFINITE The only direct statement bearing upon objectives of the flight was obtained from Irom a naval official who remaining char- char L indefinite sa said d In uIn the near future our local air contingents will depart in participation in the general future problem triangle bounded by Midway island island Alaska and Seattle They will be gone for t several weeks Indications that the flight had b been n planned panned for more than thana a year were seen when it was recalled that Admiral Johnson went to Midway island in February 1934 1934 making a minute study of conditions ther there The air journey headed by Commander E. E Wayne Vayne Tod will f be the greatest test ever conducted by planes stationed at Pearl harbor f fIt It ultimately will involve approximately 50 planes which I y constitute the full power of the air bases base's five squadrons it was was' wast t learned i f- f Although theorists often have depicted huge war planes Ll operating over a radius o of thousands of miles around Honolulu the only test the theory has bas had was last years year's mass s flight of six navy seaplanes from San Francisco to Honolulu The same six planes which completed completed com corn the mile 2400 mainland islands mainland flight will lead tb the craft craU taking off of Thursday with the remaining 36 following fol- fol lowing in formation j jIt It was believed the ships would d N pause at northernmost island Wand at of oI the Hawaiian group to refuel th then n continue to Midway isolated cable cabre s s atlon a- a t Lion on and proposed operations base forthe for for- fot t the contemplated Pan American Airy AIr Ai r ways ays transpacific commercial service e The The Midway landing site was ec ex pe pc l d to be taxed to capacity b by the theT large e number a of t aircraft Landing conditions at atthe the Island are difficult since sudden tropical storms sometimes In make the lagoon u. u o OiLS ous The return flight it Jt was under J stood would begin about May 20 The Thc aerial armada will bo bl mode made up principally of the navys navy's most m modem modern mod mod- d I em ern flying boats most of which are a s refinement of the type of the S six six six- Continued on Par Pice j 1 J i i 42 PLANES SETI SET I FOR SEA FLIGHT Continued from Pate Fire One I tr transpacific planes plane which will leathe lead lea d the flight I The San Fran Hawaii Francisco Hawalt craft craf are giant ses patrol patr l ships ship I powered by two horsepower Wright cyclone motors They have havea a cruising g radius of about 2000 miles mUes and a 8 cruising speed d of approximately OO miles an hour h Dual Motor Motors In the main wing of each plane lane are gasoline storage tanks and oil oU tanks are situated between the ships chips dual motors Below the motor motors is la the fuselage with wIlli accommodations for tor a crew of five Two pilots arc are stationed inthe in inthe inthe the nose of or the craft and behind them in a separate compartment Isn is isa a a. navigator or chief pilot Behind the navigator is the tho place for Cor the mechanic while in back of the h mechanic mechanic mechanic me me- arC are located the instruments of ot the radio operator directly und under r the wings wing Loaded the ships weigh pounds Many of ot t the tho e craft scheduled tomake to tomake tomake make the flight have been assem assembled assem assembled bled only recently and now are busy putting in the necessary number of flying hours preparatory to the great air maneuver Capacity Loads While officials held strict silence regarding plans for the hop it was believed equipment nt to be carried would include capacity loads of ot men and ammunition or weight used asa as asa a lub substitute for tor the explosives It was understood the crews would range from four to as many manyas as ten men per plane Surface craft were to foll follow w the planes carrying fuel and other supplies sup- sup plies tiles for the armada WASHINGTON ASHINGTON v May 8 UP UP- UP Navy Javy department officials declined to o comment toda today on the proposed massed flight of f 42 fighting ships in Pacific naval maneuvers maneuver |