ANTARCTIC FLIGHT

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 41, 12 November 1926, Page 9

ANTARCTIC FLIGHT

PLANS FOR ARGENTINE EXPEDITION TO. CROSS SOUTH POLE NEW ZEALAND MAY BE v VISITED An Argentine expedition has planned to fly across Antarctica and will probably visit New Zealand. BY' Telegraph.— press association COPYBIG BT. (Rec. November 11, 10.40 p.m.) New York, November. 10. "A Buenos Ayres message states that' an Argentine. South Pole expedition, which plans to flv ..from., Grabamland '• StJOO. miles across’ . the' Ahtarctic, is •scheduled to depart l5. The first leg of its. long' journey will ■ .be bv a transport to Tierra del Fuego, thence, by a whaler to Grahamland, where it 'will- establish a base for a seaplane; The actual dash’across' the South .Pole is - planned to take place between December 15. and. .30,, during the .Antarctic mid-summer, "when continual daylight prevails.- ■ ■ ■ The actual; location of the . base . depends • upon . the ■ weather and the ice conditions. If these are favourable, the plane will be assembled and tested; and two experimental flights undertaken, one eastward and the other westward, in order to.determine the limits'of the Barrier ice, as well as to decide the point of penetration for the ' establishment- of two ■ projected intermediary supply, .bases, between .the main, base and the South Pole.

The ’plane will have two Dornier Wai engines, with a combined horsepower of 950. It will be provided -.with sledge runners and be capable of c'arryfrig 2700 .kilogrammes of ' gasoline, although it is believed • that 3000 kilogrammes will possibly be loaded. ■ . Senor Antonious Pauly is the. leader of the expedition and Will be observer, while the pilot is Major Pedro’ Z'anni, -who flew from Amsterdam to Tokio recently. They will also carry a mechanic. They have the latest instruments, particularly those carried by Captain Amundsen on his North Pole flight, a. bubble sextant and a plum stead sun compass. Senor Pauly said: “If the ’plane is •in a condition to carry on, we will possibly try to fly across the Pole to Tasmania or New Zealand, but at ifll events either Melbourne or Christchurch will be the terminus if the expedition is successful.” The aviators will take ship thence back to Bueuos Ayres. It is Understood the Australian Government will aid, through patrol ships watching for signals. The cost of. the trip will be defrayed by- the Geographical Institute of Argentina, supplemented by private donations.