Prodigious Plan

Last week a report leaked out regarding a monumental project: A non-stop around-the-world flight to be accomplished by refueling in the air. The flight is planned to start from New York next September. Capt. Henry W. Lyon Jr. (navigator of the Southern Cross) as navigator, Reserve Lieut. Albert D. Hulse as engineer, with others as yet unnamed, are to be the crew. A plane powered with five 420-h. p. Pratt & Whitney motors, with a cruising speed of 120 m. p. h. is to be the vehicle. Twenty-two refueling stations, including ten for emergency only, are to be established. Estimated cost: $385,000.

The plan calls for a take-off from New York with a small load of gasoline, a first refueling over Boston, a capacity refueling (1,900-gallons) over Nova Scotia, the next near Glasgow, more in Germany, Poland, Russia, Siberia, Alaska, etc. etc. The route as planned is said to be only about 13,500 mi. (about 10,500 mi. shorter than the circumference of the earth at the equator). At an average speed of 120 m. p. h., 13,500 mi. would take about 112 1/2 hrs.

The U. S. Army's refueling champion plane, the Question Mark, flew for 150 hrs. before its engines, plain worn out, sent it down.