One US Plane Reaches Azores -- May 16, 2019

Washington Star, 17-May-1919

On 08-May-1919, three Navy Curtiss flying boats (NC-1, NC-3 and NC-4) set out to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. There's a long story about NC-2. The first leg was from Naval Air Station Rockaway, New York to Halifax, Nova Scotia. 100 years ago today, on 16-May-1919, they set out on the second and longest leg, from Halifax to the Azores.  

ONE U. S. PLANE REACHES AZORES

ON OCEAN FLIGHT TO BEAT WORLD

NC4, "LAME DUCK," LEADS; TIME OF FLIGHT, 15 HOURS; OTHERS NEAR, IT IS BELIEVED

NC-1 Flew Close Behind Sister Plane. NC-3 Delayed by Getting Off Course. 100 Miles From Island Goal

Overseas Trip, Which Navy Does Not Consider a Contest, Is Expected to Be Continued to Lisbon, Portugal, Tomorrow.

The American naval seaplane NC-4, under Lieut. Commander Albert C. Read, has attained its first objective in the transatlantic flight, having landed safely at Horta, Island of Fayal, Azores, at 9:20 o'clock this morning, Washington time, after winging her way from Trepassey Bay, Newfoundland, in fifteen hours and thirteen minutes.

The NC-1, under Lieut. Commander Patrick N. L. Bellinger, was close behind the NC-4, but the NC-3, flagship of Commander John H. Towers, was last reported at 5:15 a.m., Washington time, as off her course somewhere between station ships 17 and 18, about 100 miles from Horta.

Although no word had come from the NC-3 and NC-1 since early morning, naval officials were confident early this afternoon that both these transatlantic seaplanes had reached the Azores. At last report, they were only a short distance away.

PLAN TO GO ON TOMORROW.

Original plans were for the planes to land at Ponta Delgada, and it may be that the NC-1 and NC-3 will continue on to that port, which is about 150 miles east of Horta. Fog evidently caused Commander Read to land at Horta, and officials here assumed that after taking fuel from the cruiser Columbia, he would continue to Ponta Delgada to spend the night before taking flight for Lisbon, Portugal, on the next leg of the overseas voyage tomorrow morning.

Hours Ahead of Schedule.

Commander Read reached Horta several hours ahead of the schedule time for the flight, officials having estimated that twenty hours would be required for the seaplanes to reach Ponta Delgada.

Had he continued to that port at the speed maintained throughout the long voyage. Commander Read would have covered the 1,350 miles in a little more than seventeen hours.

The message to the Navy Department on the arrival of the NC-4 came by cable from Ponta Delgada and was more than an hour in reaching Washington. the department receiving it at 10:59 a.m. Officials explained that it was necessary to rely on the cable because the wireless set on the tender Melville at Ponta Delgada was not powerful enough to carry to the United States.

"Lame Duck" First.

The fact that the NC-4 was the first of the three planes to reach the Azores drew comment from naval officers here. This ship was the "lame duck" of the division from the time it started from Rockaway Beach, Long Island. Three of the four liberty motors which drove the ship to the Azores were installed after it left Rockaway because of trouble with the original motors.

Commander Read was forced to land at Chatham Light, Mass.. on the first leg of his flight to Newfoundland. He remained at Chatham for several days repairing.

He was again forced to make a landing on the way from Halifax to Trepassey to make repairs, and at Trepassey another new motor was put in he plane before it started overseas.

Despite these handicaps, the NC-4 led the way to the Azores practically all night.

Lisbon Goal of Flight.

The machine which will achieve the distinction of being first to cross the Atlantic ocean will be that which arrives at Lisbon. Portugal, the first European landing place of the flight and starting point of the last leg to Plymouth. England.

While the performance of the NC-4 is viewed as the most spectacular aviation achievement in the history of heavier-than-air craft. Commander Read has not equaled the American Navy record either for endurance or distance in seaplane flying. The greatness of the achievement. It was said, lies in the fact that it was entirely overseas.

On last April 25. Lieut. Commander H. B. Grow piloted the Navy seaplane F-5 for twenty hours and ten minutes' continuous flight, in the vicinity of Hampton roads. Va.. covering a total of 1,250 miles, the wind velocity averaging 20 to 30 miles per hour throughout the time of the flight. The F-5, however, circled around In the region of the air station in her endurance test.

Carried Big Supply of "Gas."

A belated report from Trepassey bay, received at the Navy Department today. said the three transatlantic planes carried 1,630 gallons of gasoline each, when they made the start for the Azores. The NC-4 and the NC-1 carried their full crews of six men each, but the NC-3, flagship, carried only five men, Lieut. Commander Braxton Rhodes having been left behind. With Rhodes aboard, the message said, the NC-3 would have carried an excess of 185 pounds over either of the other planes.

The successful flight was made possible. the report said, by the tireless work of the crews of the planes and the co-operation of all Navy personnel at Trepassey bay. Weather data assembled through the chain of reporting ships established by the department, it continued, bad been an important factor and the weather forecasts upon which Commander Towers made his decisions were complete and accurate.

Signals Grow Weak.

Shortly after 4 o'clock this morning the Bar Harbor station sent the following message to the Navy Department:

"Last heard of seaplanes at 3:21 and signals getting weaker. However, freak work may avail itself early in morning, and probabilities are we may hear the seaplanes until 6 a.m."

The following cablegram from the U. S. S. Melville, transatlantic flight station ship at Ponta Delgada, Azores, was received at the Navy Department at 4:30 o'clock this morning:

"The NC-4 passed station ship No. 14 at 7:06 G. M. P. (3:06 Washington time)."

The fourteenth station ship is the U. S. S. Cowell, located more than 50 miles distant from Trepassey bay. Communication no longer was possible by way of Atlantic coast radio stations, and messages regarding the progress of the seaplanes were being relayed to the Azores and from there cabled to the Navy Department over a special cable.

Reach Half-Way Mark.

The half-way mark was reached early today by the American seaplanes. At 3 o'clock this morning the Navy Department received an intercepted message from the seaplane NC-4 directed to the Cape Race station saying that the three planes had passed station ship No. 11, approximately 650 miles from the starting point. The message from the NC-4, which was intercepted by the naval radio station at Bar Harbor, Me., read as follows:

"NC-4 to Cape Race. Passed No. 10 about 4:50 Greenwich time, and passed No. 11 about 5:15. Now nearly to No. 13. Thought you had lost me."

"See You Later."

At 1:40 a.m.. Washington time. Bar Harbor intercepted the following message for the Cape Race station from the NC-4:

"Great old man. See you later."

At 1:41 a.m. the following message was intercepted from the NC-3 to the NC-1:

"Answer. Have message for you."

Bar Harbor intercepted at 1:43 a.m. a message from the NC-1 to the NC-3 saying:

"Answer."

Two minutes later this message was intercepted from the NC-3 to the NC-1:

"Answer. Have message for you."

The plane NC-3 three minutes later sent to the NC-1 as follows:

"Answer."

Two minutes later this message was repeated.

NC-1 Asks Wind Velocity.

At 1:51 the NC-1 signaled to the destroyer No. 11:

"Please give me the velocity and direction of the wind in miles per hour and in true degrees."

At 1:52 the NC-1 said:

"Received. Thanks."

At 1:53 the NC-4 radioed to destroyer No. 12:

"Make 'V's so I can tell if you are near."

The conversation between the fliers continued with the NC-1 saying:

"That makes 15 miles and 300 degrees true."

At 1:56 the NC-1 signaled back to the destroyer:

"Received. O. K. finished."

Progress Near Corvo Island.

The NC-4 passed station ship No. 18, about 100 miles from Corvo Island (destroyer Craven), at 09:45 Greenwich (5:45 a.m. Washington time); the NC-3 passed station ship No. 13 (destroyer Bush), at 06:23 Greenwich (2:23 a.m. Washington time); the SC-1 passed station ship No. 18 at 10:14 Greenwich (6:14 a.m. Washington time); the NC-l passed station ship No. 16 at 09:17 Greenwich (6:17 a.m. Washington time).

A delayed official report from Trepassev bav to the Navy Department said that at 2:25 o'clock, Washington time, it was estimated that the three planes were 125 nautical miles ahead of their schedule. At that time the Cape Race radio station still was in communication with the NC-4. The message follows:

"Progress of the three seaplanes from Trepassey to the Azores is ahead of the previously estimated distance at 06:25 Greenwich (2:25 a.m. Washington time) by 125 knots. At the above time the planes were reported as having passed station ship No. 13. 650 miles out. Capo Race (British radio) was still in communication with the NC-4."

Relay News to Navy Department.

Messages sent by the "Columbuses of the air" from plane to plane to plane and to the destroyers that lined the 1,350-mile route to the Azores, the end of the first lap, were intercepted by the Cape Race, N. F., radio station, relayed to the American naval radio station at Bar Harbor, Me., and thence sent to the Navy Department. These messages showed the three planes to be making excellent time and indicated that all was going well.

During the first 700 miles of flight the planes averaged approximately eighty-five miles an hour. Navy officials estimated that should this average be maintained -- and it was believed it could be with daylight spreading over the mid-Atlantic -- the planes would reach their immediate objective, Ponta Delgada., Azores, about 9 a.m. Washington time, more than three hours earlier than the time set by the most optimistic.

Communication Severed.

Since the flyers passed out of range of the Atlantic coast radio stations communication with the Navy Department practically has been severed. The only message coming through between 4:30 and 8 r>.m. was passed eastward by the station ships to the destroyer Melville at Ponta Delgado and cabled here. The planes then had passed the destroyer Cowell, the fourteenth station ship, located approximately 750 miles from Trepassey, or more than half way across to the Azores.

When the seaplanes passed over station ship No. 13 at 2:3? a.m. they were flying in close formation. While only the NC-4 was mentioned in the Ponta Delgada message received at 4:30, it was the belief of Navy officials that all thrse of the planes passed destroyer No. 14 together.

Traced by Shore Stations.

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By this means the powerful government station at Bar Harbor, Maine, kept the Navy Department "watch party" constantly informed regarding the expedition for more than eight hours.

Although the radio apparatus on board the seaplanes was only designed for a radius of about 250 miles, the Maine station intercepted messages exchanged between the planes when they were more than 1.200 miles distant. This was declared by expert radio officers at the department to be one of the most surprising features of the epochal undertaking. When the flight was planned it was not expected that the stations on this side would be able to hear Commander Towers' messages after his squadron was 200 miles at sea.

NC-4 Sights Land.

Another message relayed to the department was one from the NC-4. sent at 7:35 a.m., Washington time, saying she had sighted land. It read:

"We have just picked up land again. Think It is Pico." This referred, Navy officials said, to the top of the mountain Which forms the western extremity of the Azores group.

An intercepted message from the NC-4 said she had passed station ship 22 at 8:10 a.m. Washington time, and that the "weather was foggy."

The official dispatch to the Navy Department announcing NC-4'a arrival said:

'The NC-4 arrived at Horta (Island of Fayal, Azores) at 12:20."

The Navy Department later corrected the time of the arrival according' to the official report, to read 9:20 a.m. Washington time, which would make the time of the flight 15 hours and 13 minutes from Trepassey bay.

An Intercepted message from the NC-3 received at Horta at 5:15 a.m.. Washington time, read: "We are off our course somewhere between 17 and 18 (station ships)."

A later dispatch said the NC-1 passed the station ship 19 at 6:14 a.m., Washington time.

AZORES REPORT PLANES' PROGRESS

Confirm Arrival of NC-4 and Wireless From Two Flyers.

By the Associated Press.
PONTA DELGADA, Azores. May 17. -- The seaplane NC-4 arrived at the port of Horta, in the Azores, at 1:25 p.m., Greenwich time. The NC-4 sighted land at Flores at 11:35 a.m. NC-1 then was close behind her. The NC-3 passed station 17 at 9:15 o'clock.

The first two seaplanes were in wireless touch with the torpedo boat tender Melville shortly before noon.

With NC-4 leading, the three naval transatlantic fliers had completed two-thirds of their course from Trepassey to the Azores at 8:30 o'clock this morning. (The equivalent of 8:30 a.m. Azores time is 4:45 a.m. New York time).

The other planes were going strong in the wake of their leader. The average speed of the NC-4 was computed at more than seventy-five miles an hour.

The news of the oncoming seaplanes brought Interest in the transatlantic flight to a high pitch this morning. Small knots or people gathered on the water front shortly after daybreak to seek news of the flyers and to await their arrival, and as the day progressed the crowd rapidly increased.

The city here was in gala dress for the expected event of the day, and Admiral Jackson invited the high civil officials to view the arrival of the flyers from one of the American warcraft stationed here.

The weather was misty and the visibility poor early this morning, but clearing weather was predicted.

The departure of the seaplanes from Trepassey was first reported here at 11;44 o'clock last night, when the torpedo boat tender Melville received a wireless message reading "planes in flight." This information, which was rapidly circulated about the city, caused much animation in American naval headquarters, which was besieged with inquiries regarding the flight. The flood of questions poured in upon the headquarters continued through the night.

An hour after the announcement of the start a definite statement of the time of the departure was received. Nothing further came in until 3:15 a m., when the NC-3 reported having passed station No. 7, 350 miles from Newfoundland.

Officials Up All Night.

Admiral Jackson, Fleet Commander Wortman, Commander Orwine and scores of other naval officials remained up ail night to receive reports of the seaplanes' progress. The wireless worked excellently throughout the night hours, merchant ships and radio stations heeding the request of the Navy to refrain from interfering with messages regarding the flight.

Cheers at Trepassey Speed Daring U. S. Flyers on Evening Departure

By the Associated Press.
TREPASSEY, N. F., May 16. -- Three giant seaplanes of the American Navy the NC-3, NC-4 and the NC-1 rose late today from the waters of Trepassey bay and headed for the Azores to make by air, in the twentieth century, a Journey a# dangerous as that Columbus made by water 427 years ago.

Commanded by Commander John H. Towers, Lieut. Commander A. C. Read and Lieut. Commander P. N. L. Bellinger, the planes left their moorings at the head of Trepassey harbor and "taxied" toward the narrows. Then, rushing into a westerly wind, they took the air. The NC-3, the "flagship," rose at 7:32; the NC-4, two minutes later, and the NC-1 at 7:41 (New foundland time, which is one hour and thirty minutes ahead of New York time). Within a few minutes they were lost sight of beyond the eastern horizon.

Yankee Sailors Cheer.

As they passed from view natives of Newfoundland, who lined the shores of the landlocked bay, vied with Yankee sailors, stationed here, in sending away with a rousing cheer the American aviators starting on their epochal voyage.

The seaplanes shaped their course toward Corvo, westernmost Island of the Azores, from which they expected to fly to Horta. on the Island of Fayal and thence to Ponta Delgada or San Miguel Island, 1,352 nautical miles from this port. This leg of the cruise. from Rockaway Beach, N. Y., the planes' home station, to Plymouth, England, is the only one which will require night flying.

The planes were expected to maintain an average speed of sixty nautical miles an hour. Temperature was expected to determine the flying altitude.

NC-4 Gets Off Well.

The NC-4, which was left behind at the start by her sister craft because of engine trouble and arrived here from Halifax only yesterday, was in the air today almost as soon as the flagship, rising after a swift twenty five-minute cruis about Manhattan harbor.

The NC-1 made two unsuccessful attempts to leave the water, while Commander Towers' plane soared above it, and the "taxiing" NC-4, but it rose nine minutes after the flagship and followed in the wake Of the others, which headed for the east, aa soon as it took the air.

As the throttle of the four liberty motors with which each plane is equipped were opened wide and the boats aped down the bay on the surface, poising for the flight, they were escorted by launches from the three warships anchored here. The motor boats darted ahead and astern of the planes, but gave them wide bertha so that no accident might befall them.

Nature provided a glorious day for the beginning of the gamble against death. The white spray thrown up by the planes aa they sped along the surface seemed like rays flashing from the emerald surface of the harbor nestling among green hills.

Lisbon Prepares Greeting.

LISBON. Portugal, May 16 -- (by the Associated Press).-- Lisbon is prepared for the arrival of the American transatlantic seaplanes. Two. American warships are In the Tagus river and a meteorological mission daily is studying atmospheric conditions from the observatory. An English meteorologist also is here with stores and instruments for any English flying boats or other planes which may arrive.

CRIPPLED WINGS, FIRE. ENGINE TROUBLES DELAY OCEAN TRIP

Many setbacks and disappointments have been met by the leading aviators of the world in their efforts to make the first transatlantic flight. The failures which have beset the flyers in making their attempts are described in the New York Tribune. To the three seaplanes of the United States Navy only has preliminary success been granted by fickle fortune, and then only after a series of minor setbacks due to defective machinery. The NC-1, first of the Navy's transatlantic seaplanes, is the only aircraft that has gone through every flight without mishap, but she, too, has sustained two serious accidents while on the ground.

The NC-1 Is by far the most romantic of all the ocean flyers. She is attempting to fly across the Atlantic with odd wings. The upper and lower left wing with which she is equipped were originally built on the NC-2. which was early eliminated from the flight. Her two right wings are her own.

Lost Wings; Then Fire Came

It was early In March that the NC-1 lost her own left wings. She was moored in Jamaica bay, when a sudden gale drove her on to the beach and crippled both left wings. When It was decided to drop the NC-2 from the flight both sets of wings from that ship were placed on the NC-1. The right wings of the NC-1 were stored away.

The night before the scheduled start from Rockaway a fire started in the NC-1 hanger. The fire destroyed the right wing of the NC-1 and the lower elevator of the NC-4. The original right wings of the NC-1 were put back on within twelve hours == a week's work being accomplished within that period. The lower elevator of the discarded NC-2 made good the loss on the NC-4. When the start was finally made for Halifax, the NC-4 was compelled to descend because of failure of her oil pumps. This defect put her engines out of commission one after another. The other two ships succeeded in making Halifax, but in the flight from Halifax to Newfoundland, the NC-3 was compelled to descend with propeller trouble, although she was able to complete the trip later in the day. The NC-1 made the trip without mishap.

Engine and Propeller Trouble.

When the NC-4 finally got away from Chatham, Mass., where she had been compelled to wait almost a week by unfavorable weather, she made a wonderful flight to Halifax, averaging ninety-nine miles an hour. The succeeding day she left for Newfoundland. but was compelled to descend again through engine trouble. After this she finished the trip, arriving at Trepassey just as the NC-1 and NC-3 were returning from an ineffectual start across the Atlantic.

The failure of the two latter ships on their initial attempt was due entirely to their inability to raise from the water the extra load that had been put on them.

Dirigible's Bad Luck.

The most serious disappointment occurred when the big naval dirigible airship was blown from her moorings at St. Johns Thursday. This occurred just after she had broken all records for distance covered by non-rigid airships, a total distance of more than 1,300 miles In twenty-five hours and forty minutes.

The earliest transatlantic entry to arrive at Newfoundland was the Sopwith biplane, powered with a Rolls Royce 380-horsepower engine. This machine, piloted by Harry G. Hawker, the Australian aviator, and navigated by Commander Mackenzie Grieve, R. N., has been held up by unfavorable weather ever since her arrival, March 23 last.

Capt. Frederick P. Raynham and Maj. C. w. F. Morgan, two British aviators with a Martinsyde plane, have been held up in Newfoundland by unfavorable weather conditions since April 11.

Fell Into Irish Sea.

The most tragic British entry was that of Maj. J. C. P. Wood and Capt. C. C. Wylie, R. N., which started from Eastchurch, England, on April 18. The machine became lost in a fog and then fell into the Irish sea following engine trouble. Both occupants were rescued.

Two disappointments In succession befell Lieut. J. P. Fontan. the French aviator, who starter from Paris to fly to South America by way of Cape Dakar, Africa, and Pernambuco. Brazil. He made his first start on March 16, but was compelled to land shortly afterward because of a cracked cylinder. On April 8, after flying for 110 miles, he was compelled to land at Bourges through engine trouble.

BRITISHERS MAY HOP OFF AT ST. JOHNS FOR PLYMOUTH TODAY

ST. JOHNS, N. F.. May 17.-- Announcement was made here this morning that the two British aviators Frederick P. Raynham and Harry G. Hawker would In all probability start their transatlantic airplane flight this afternoon.

Washington Star, 17-May-1919