Genius but unsuccessful: the Atlantic Great Circle route
Aug 29, 2020 9:27:20 GMT -5
chris_c likes this
Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2020 9:27:20 GMT -5
Col. Robert McCormick, owner of the Chicago Tribune, bought in 1929 the Sikorsky S-38 NC-9753, nicknamed 'Untin Bowler'.
Pioneer aviator “Shorty” Cramer convinced McCormick to let him take the S-38 to establish a Northern route from Chicago to Berlin, via Labrador, Greenland and Iceland. They set out fuel and oil supplies at several points along the proposed route, and figured a trip from Chicago to Berlin could be made in five days. They planned on making a round-trip, the first ever between America and Europe.
The aircraft was manufactured by the Sikorsky plant at College Point, New York, across Flushing Bay from what is now LaGuardia Airport in 1929.
It was modified there for transatlantic journey. Passenger seats were removed and replaced with three 100-gallon fuel tanks.
'Untin Bowler' was transfered to Chicago, the official starting point.
While approaching there Grant Park at Lakefront
it was welcomed by 'Akron' airship (GW3 dynamic object)
In July 1929 Cramer and pilot Robert Gast took off at Grant Park, Chicago (beneath aircraft)
and flew to Milwaukee, Cochrane, towards to Canadian Sault Ste. Marie, Remi Lake, Rupert House, Fort George, Great Whale and finally reached Port Burwell, near Cape Chidley at Labrador's northernmost tip. There the aircraft was caught and battered by driffting ice floes and sank in Hudson Straits. Luckly the crew was safe.
Bernard
The ice can be treacherous. 
