Northwest History. State History. Aeronautics, Continued Airports, Commercial Service. Air Races & Shows & Non-Stop Flights. 1919 to 1930.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1926
• Subjects: Palmer Hutchinson; Fokker airplanes; Alaska; Seattle; C. M. Wiseley; Ray Howard; Andrew Hufford; Carl B. Eielson; Fairbanks; Hangars; Point Barrow; Wilkins transpolar expedition; Captain George Hubert Wilkins; Snow Motors; Artic ocean; Supply train; Polar flights; Northwest History > History > 20th century; United States > Aeronautics; Continued Airports; Commercial Service > 20th Century; Arctic; Arctic Ocean; Detroit; Eielson; Harding; North Pole; Rossman; Wilkins; Barrow
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/140746

Alaska Planes Ready For Ship: Polar Flight Machines Taken From Train And Will Sail On Saturday. ALASKA PLANES READY FOR SHIP Polar Flight Machines Taken From Train and Will Sail on Saturday. SUPPLY PARTY STARTS 15 Tons of Provisions and Fuel Leave Nenana on 700-Mile Trip to Point Barrow. By Palmer Hutchinson. Special correspondent of The Spokesman-Review and North American Newspaper Alliance with the Detroit Arctic expedition. SEATTLE, Feb. 11.---The Fokker airplanes which Captain George H. Wilkins will use on his polar flights were tonight unloaded from the freight ears on which they crossed the continent from Hasbrook, N. J., for transfer to the steamer which will carry them to Alaska. The huge wings, wrapped in a thousand yards 61 quilted felt, completed their transcontinental journey without mishap in 13 days, escorted all the way by Sergeant C. M. Wiseley, chief airplane mechanic to the expedition. Captain Wilkins arrived yesterday with Major Thomas G. Lanphier, the United States army unofficial observer with the expedition. Other personnel awaiting them included Ray Howard, Fokker engineer, and Andrew Hufford, Wright engine mechanic. All will sail for Seward on Saturday. Carl B. Eielson, the expedition's chief flyer, is already on his way to Fairbanks, where he will prepare the temporary hangars for the airplanes. The snow motors division of the expedition, which will carry overland to Point Barrow the fuel and oil for the airplanes, will leave Fairbanks in a few days. (Copyright, 1926.) Supply Party Starts. NENANA, Alaska, Feb. 11. (AP)— Under ideal weather conditions, with a temperature of 10 below zero, the Wilkins transpolar expedition supply party started out on the first lap of the 700 miles mush to Point Barrow late today. Take 15 Tons of Supplies. FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Feb. 11. (AP)— The Wilkins transpolar expedition advance guard expects to deliver 15 tons of provisions and fuel to Point Barrow before March 21, when Captain George Hubert Wilkins, leader of the expedition, is scheduled to hop off for a flight over the vast unexplored reaches of the Arctic ocean between Point Barrow and the north pole. Two snow motors are being used to draw the 10 sledges of the supply train, but at least one dog team was expected to accompany the party, to help out in case the snow motors fail. In addition to Smith, veteran Alaska dog driver and explorer, Gordon Scott. Detroit snow motor expert, Gordon Harding and Leslie Thayer, Fairbanks mechanicians, Earl Rossman, official photographer, and Howard Mason, Seattle, assistant photographer and radio operator, accompany the supply train.