LANGLEY'S PIONEER AËRODROME FALLS INTO THE POTOMAC This primitive plane was a reproduction of his model aerodrome, which had actually flown (see page 236). But in the attempt to launch it from the runway on top of the houseboat, it caught in the primitive launching gear and was thrown into the river. Public ridicule blocked further experiments and hastened the death of this distinguished scientist and inventor. On this expedition practical use was made for the first time of the Bumstead sun-compass, an instrument invented by Chief Cartographer Albert H. Bumstead, of the National Geographic Society. Because of the variations of the magnetic compass and the weakness of magnetic force in the Arctic, this sun-compass was found of great value. "In clear weather the sun-compass enabled us to do accurate navigation," wrote Commander Byrd. "I consider it a great contribution to science." Months later, when the daring Byrd flew to the North Pole, accompanied by Bennett, he again used the Bumstead suncompass, and wrote of it: "I do not hesitate to say that without it we could not have reached the Pole; it is even doubtful if we could have hit Spitsbergen on our return flight." Later, after his epochal polar dash, an article entitled "The First Flight to the North Pole" appeared in this Magazine for September, 1926, in which Byrd wrote: "On May 9, 1926, Floyd Bennett and I looked down upon the North Pole Peary's observations and demonstrating the feasibility of using airplanes in any part of the globe. "Seventeen years ago Peary's trip to the North Pole and back kept him out of touch with civilization for more than four hundred days. Bennett and I left civilization early one morning and returned on the afternoon of the same day." AIRPLANES EXPLORE THE TROPICS Immediately upon his return Commander Byrd submitted his flight records and observations to the National Geographic Society, through the Secretary of the Navy. After an intensive study of this data by its technical experts, The Society concluded that Byrd's records substantiated in every particular his claim that he had reached the North Pole by airplane, and its highest award, the Hubbard Medal, was conferred upon Commander Byrd, and a gold medal upon Floyd Bennett. In the Tropics, too, aviation is adding rapidly to our knowledge of the map. It was only with the aid of a hydroplane that PRESIDENT COOLIDGE PRESENTS COMMANDER BYRD WITH THE HUBBARD GOLD MEDAL This medal was awarded to Commander Richard Evelyn Byrd, first man to fly to the North Pole, before a distinguished audience of members and friends of the National Geographic Society. SISTER PLANES OBSERVE ICE-BOUND SMITH SOUND This is one of many photographs made by members of the MacMillan expedition, sent out by the National Geographic Society in coöperation with the U. S. Navy. was able to make its exhaustive surveys of the Parima River country of Brazil. Writing in this Magazine for April, 1926, Captain Albert W. Stevens, of the United States Army Air Service and a member of the Rice party, said: "The upper Amazon Basin is one of the last of the world's blind spots to succumb to the persevering curiosity of the explorer. Where the untrodden jungle presented a matted and almost impenetrable wall to men on foot, it surrendered its secrets readily to men in the sky. Our hydroplane served as the eyes of the expedition." Already, aviation has rendered singular service to the science of geography. By photographs taken from the air it is today not at all difficult to get a more accurate grasp of terrain, rivers, shorelines, and highways than could be imparted by drawn maps or word pictures, and in onetenth the time. The Mexican-American Boundary Commission, for example, could really first see the great Colorado Delta problem as a whole by air pictures pieced together in mosaic form. In its aid and sponsoring of aviation, The Society has had con in surveying for railroad, highway, irrigation, forestry, harbor work, and other engineering enterprises. MANY PHASES OF AVIATION COVERED BY THE GEOGRAPHIC To inform its members and the public. of the rapid progress of air travel and the huge importance of aviation to many angles of modern life, The Society is tireless in its efforts. It combs the earth for fresh facts and photographs. In January, 1926, The Magazine printed an absorbing story of the Air Mail, the service that developed Lindbergh. "Canada from the Air," published October, 1926, is proving one of the most popular articles ever printed in this Magazine. In general, four phases of aviation have been dealt with: First. The origin of aircraft. Second. Growth of the science of aviation. This phase is discussed in such articles as "Man's Amazing Progress in Conquering the Air," July, 1924; the dirigible Shenandoah's 9,000-mile flight from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast and return, in "Seeing America from the Shenandoah," January, 1925; Lieutenant COMMANDER BYRD IN RUBBER RAFT HE FIRST DEVISED FOR ARCTIC FLIGHTS Flight Across America," July, 1924, and the story of his altitude flights, in "Exploring the Earth's Stratosphere," December, 1926; and helium, the incombustible gas, in "Helium, the New Balloon Gas," May, 1919. Third. The use of aircraft in war, commerce, and industry, dealt with particularly in such articles as General William Mitchell's "America in the Air: The Future of Airplane and Airship, Economically and as Factors in National Defense," March, 1921; the account of a 6,500-mile tour over commercial aviation routes abroad, in "Looking Down on Europe," by Lieutenant J. Parker Van Zandt, U. S. A., March, 1925; a discussion of the probable importance of polar routes, in Vilhjalmur Stefansson's "The Arctic as an Air Route of the Future," August, 1922; and in a discussion of Egypt as one of the most important air-traffic centers. in the Eastern Hemisphere, in "Flying Over Egypt, Sinai, and Palestine," September, 1926. Fourth. The use of aircraft in geographic exploration. This phase has been described and pictured in such articles as Captain St. Clair Streett's "The First Alaskan Air Expedition," May, 1922; Commander Richard E. Byrd's story of his flights over Greenland and Ellesmere Island with the MacMillan Arctic Expedition of 1925, in "Flying Over the Arctic," November, 1925; and Commander MacMillan's own account of the expedition's work in "The MacMillan Arctic Expedition Returns," November, 1925. COLONEL LINDBERGH AWARDED HUBBARD MEDAL When for example Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh made his world-acclaimed nonstop flight from New York to Paris, The Trustees, on behalf of The Society's 1,100,000 members, awarded to him its highest honor, the Hubbard Gold Medal. As a tribute to his own aviation achievements, The Society designated Commander Richard E. Byrd to notify Colonel Lindbergh of this award, and the citation. took place at the breakfast given in Lindbergh's honor by the National Aëronautic Association, in Washington, June 13. In awarding this medal to Colonel Lindbergh, the following letter was addressed to him by the President of the National Geographic Society: Photograph by Maynard Owen Williams and looking forward with GILBERT GROSVENOR, To meet its members' ever-increasing demand for full details of all great air adventures and achievements, The Society will publish, in early issues of its Magazine, various additional articles by world-famed flyers who have linked continents with paths through the air. Sir Alan Cobham, famous British flyer, will write of his long air cruise from London to Australia, and his flight over Africa from the Cape to Cairo. The American Army's "Good-Will Flight" to South America, a trip which took the Yankee flyers on an 18,000-mile swing around the southern continent, will be described by Major Herbert A. Dargue, U. S. A., who commanded this expedition. ALBERT H. BUMSTEAD, CHIEF CARTOGRAPHER OF THE NA- MY DEAR COLONEL LINDBERGH: June 9th, 1927. The Board of Trustees of the National Geographic Society extends to you the congratulations and good wishes of its one million one hundred thousand members throughout the Nation upon the heroic service to the science of aviation that you have contributed by your solitary flight from New York to Paris on May 20-21, 1927. In recognition of this contribution to the science of aviation, the Hubbard Medal, the highest gift of the National Geographic Society, has been awarded you. The bestowal of the Hubbard Medal has been made but seven times in the thirty-nine years of existence of this scientific and educational institution. The others who have been thus honored by The Society are: Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary, Captain Roald Amundsen, Captain Robert A. Bartlett, Dr. Grove Karl Gilbert, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Dr. Vilhjalmur Stefansson, and Commander Richard E. Byrd, and on each occasion the presentation has been made by the President of the United States. With renewed congratulations upon the signal Colonel Francesco de Pinedo, intrepid Italian airman, who flew from Rome to China and back, and covered nearly 49,000 air miles in a flight from Italy to Brazil, up to North America and then back home, will tell in this Magazine the story of his adventures. The 8,000-mile air voyage of the Norge from Rome up over the ice-top of the world to Alaska is described by General Umberto Nobile, designer and pilot of this airship, in this issue. Commander Byrd will write for The Society's journal the dramatic account of his European flight and tell in his own modest way the story of the air journey of himself and associates. All these articles will be richly illustrated by aërial and other illustrations taken along the |