Bird of Paradise (aircraft)

Front view of an unmodified Fokker C-2.

Front view of the modified Bird of Paradise, showing its longer wing.

Installation of the auxiliary fuel tanks.

In 1923 the Air Service established many distance and endurance records, including using a modified Fokker T-2 transport to set an endurance record of more than 36 hours aloft (and seven other world records as well) during a single flight on April 17.[16] It followed this up on May 2 by making the first non-stop transcontinental flight across the United States, a distance equal to that of the flight to Hawaii.[9] While proved capable of transoceanic flight, the T-2 had only a single motor.

In 1926 the Atlantic Aircraft Company (Fokker's U.S. subsidiary) produced a development of the internally braced high-wing monoplane design, the F.VIIa, powered by three 220 horsepower (160 kW) air-cooled Wright J-5 motors instead of the single 400 horsepower (300 kW) water-cooled Liberty 12 of the T-2. The Army ordered three of the "Transport Airplanes" in September 1926 to be designated C-2 and earmarked the first to be sent to the Materiel Division at McCook Field as the test bed for the radio navigational aid testing about to be authorized.[9][11] This aircraft, Air Corps serial number 26-202, was diverted at Teterboro Airport, New Jersey, for modifications and became the last to be delivered. The wing mounts for the standard 63 feet (19 m) wing were replaced with the center section of the wing mounts for the XLB-2 bomber[n 5] to support a larger 71 feet (22 m) metal wing fabricated by Atlantic.[17]

The larger-winged C-2 was delivered to the Fairfield depot, where it underwent further modifications, installing Hegenberger's instrument panels, other navigation and radio equipment,[n 6] and auxiliary fuel tanks to bring its fuel capacity to approximately 1,100 gallons (4,164 liters). Unnecessary equipment, including the passenger seating, was removed to save weight. A passageway to the cockpit was created over the top of the forward auxiliary fuel tank to allow Hegenberger to periodically relieve Maitland at the controls.[6][n 7] A team of aviation experts was assembled to oversee the modifications that included Jones, Lester A. Hendricks (radio engineer and Assistant Chief of the Materials Laboratory, McCook Field), Fred Herman (aeronautical engineer), Victor E. Showalter (navigation engineer), radio engineers Ford Studebaker and Clayton C. Shangraw (who was also a Reserve officer), and James Rivers, an aircraft mechanic and foreman. Sometime during the modification process the C-2 also picked up a nickname: Bird of Paradise.[9]

After the aircraft was acquired, Hegenberger prepared a flight plan using a Great Circle route, which Charles Lindbergh later characterized as "the most perfectly organized and carefully planned flight ever attempted."[11][18] Maitland practiced flying one of the Bird of Paradise's sister ships and accrued approximately 6,000 miles (9,700 km) (roughly 60 hours of flight time) in the C-2 by the time the transpacific flight was undertaken.[19]

At 10:50 on the morning of June 15, 1927, Maitland and Hegenberger took off from Fairfield Air Intermediate Depot (FAID)[n 8] in the Bird of Paradise and flew to Scott Field, Illinois, on the first leg of final flight tests of the airplane's performance. Jones, Herman, and Rivers of the FAID support team flew with them to monitor fuel consumption and the reliability of the equipment. From Scott Field, they continued to Hatbox Field at Muskogee, Oklahoma, where the aircraft stayed overnight.[6][n 9] The next day the quintet continued to Kelly Field, Texas, stopping at Dallas en route, where they learned that the transpacific attempt had been announced by the War Department.

During a layover at Kelly Field, repairs were made to the earth inductor compass, one of the Type B-5 magnetic compasses, and the radio. From Kelly Field they flew on to San Diego, California on June 20, stopping at El Paso and Tucson's Davis-Monthan Field along the way.[6][20][n 10] They arrived at Rockwell Field in San Diego on the afternoon of June 20. At Herman's recommendation, the C-2 had an additional 70 US gallons (260 l; 58 imp gal) fuel tank installed. While in San Diego, Maitland conferred with U.S. Navy Lieut. Byron J. Connell, the pilot of a PN-9 flying boat used in an unsuccessful transpacific attempt in September 1925 by Commander John Rodgers and crew.[1][6][n 11]

On June 24, the results of the cross country tests were reported to Secretary of War Dwight F. Davis and he approved the flight to Hawaii, pending a final inspection of the aircraft by the Chief of the Air Corps, Gen. Mason Patrick.[15] The next day they flew to Crissy Field in San Francisco, California. When they were 125 miles (201 km) south of Crissy Field their receiver picked up the signal of the Signal Corps beacon installed there. They completed the 2,815 miles (4,530 km) from Wright Field to Crissy Field in slightly more than 33 hours flying time over the ten-day journey and were satisfied with the performance of the Bird of Paradise.[6]

An air of competition greeted the Army flyers upon their arrival in San Francisco resembling that which surrounded Charles Lindbergh's solo transatlantic flight a month earlier. Between the first tentative approval of the transpacific flight in December and its full approval the day before, the excitement generated by Lindbergh's feat inspired a prize of $25,000 to be offered by James D. Dole for the first aviator to make a similar transpacific flight between California and Hawaii. Two civilians, Ernest L. Smith and Charles R. Carter, were across the bay in Oakland, California, nearly ready for a flight to Hawaii, and Hollywood stunt flyer Richard V. "Dick" Grace was in Hawaii preparing to fly solo to the West Coast. The War Department, in disclaimers issued by Secretary Davis, Assistant Secretary Davison, and the two aviators themselves, professed no interest in a "race," and insisted that the timing of the flight was a "coincidence" without connection to any prize or aspirations by civilian flyers.[6] The Air Corps announced that the purpose of its flight was testing of the radio beacon navigational aids at Crissy Field and at Paia, Maui, Hawaii. Hegenberger and Maitland, ineligible for the Dole prize in any case, also turned down $10,000 for publication of their story. Nevertheless, Smith and Carter intensified their preparations to be able to take off first.[15]

The runway of Crissy Field, situated beside the bay on the grounds of the Presidio, was approximately 3,000 feet (910 m) in length but was too short for a fully loaded C-2 to acquire lift speed during its takeoff roll. On June 27, Maitland and Hegenberger flew the Bird of Paradise across San Francisco Bay to the newly opened Oakland Municipal Airport, whose 7000 foot (2,100 meter) runway was acceptable for the anticipated gross weight of 13,500 pounds (6,100 kg) with full fuel load. The aircraft was parked near Smith and Carter's Travel Air 5000, City of Oakland, (see photograph) and given a final service check by its support crew. Gen. Patrick also inspected the C-2 and approved a takeoff for the next day. The airplane took on 1,134 US gallons (4,290 l) of gasoline, 40 US gallons (150 l) of oil, and had an inflatable rubber raft, tinned beef, hardtack, and 5 US gallons (19 l) of water stowed on board for survival if they came down in the ocean as had the PN-9 in 1925.[1][6][15] Parachutes, however, were not provided.[6][21]

The Bird of Paradise at Oakland, ready for takeoff. Smith and Carter's City of Oakland, to its immediate right, is also preparing to depart.

Taking off from Oakland.

In flight toward Hawaii.

Weather conditions appeared favorable on the morning of Tuesday, June 28, 1927. An in-flight meal of soup in thermos bottles, chicken sandwiches, and coffee was placed aboard the Bird of Paradise,[18] along with drinking water and chocolate bars.[1] Maitland and Hegenberger shook hands with their support team and Gen. Patrick, who reportedly told them, quoted in Aero Digest: "God bless you, my boys, I know you'll make it."[15]

The three motors of the Bird of Paradise started without problem and they took off at 7:09 a.m. at an airborne speed of 93 miles per hour (150 km/h), after a takeoff roll of 4,600 feet (1,400 m). Their destination was Wheeler Field, an Army airfield on the island of Oahu. The Bird of Paradise climbed to an altitude of 2,000 feet (610 m), escorted by other Army aircraft, and crossed the Golden Gate.[6] The C-2's initial cruise speed, in light winds and clear conditions, was 108 miles per hour (174 km/h).[21] Smith and Carter took off in City of Oakland soon after but returned to Oakland to repair damage to their aircraft, then abandoned the attempt entirely. In Hawaii, Grace never took off at all.[15]

The earth inductor compass failed soon after takeoff and after an attempt to fix it, Hegenberger disregarded the instrument. At 7:45 a.m. he picked up the Crissy beacon as planned, but within an hour the receiver failed. Hegenberger seemingly repaired the radio by switching out the batteries, but the signal was lost again after another thirty minutes, forcing Hegenberger to navigate by dead reckoning using the magnetic compass and driftmeter. As part of his pre-flight planning, Hegenberger had computed azimuth and altitude for the sun, as well as selecting stars for sighting, for various points along the route. He used these figures for celestial observations to supplement his dead reckoning.[4]

Hegenberger attempted to check wind drift by launching smoke bombs (carried for that purpose) over the tail, but was hindered by glare. Strong crosswinds that lasted all morning and rough surface conditions made use of the smoke bombs beneath the aircraft ineffectual.[21] Hegenberger was able to visually confirm their course by sighting the Army transport ship Chateau Thierry, as planned, as it approached California.[6] By 9:00 a.m., however, the clear weather gave way to increasing cloud cover. Maitland held the Bird of Paradise at 1,500 feet (460 m), just above the undercast, to enable Hegenberger to attempt intermittent drift readings of the ocean waves through holes in the clouds, but by 9:30 a.m. he was forced to cruise at just 300 feet (91 m) altitude to be able to see the ocean's surface. Strong winds and rain hampered the effort and obscured the horizon. Hegenberger took drift readings through the floor of the airplane and used the sextant to shoot the sun when it occasionally broke through the clouds.[6][21]

Five hours into the flight, Hegenberger decided to alter course to confirm his calculations with another visual checkpoint. Using its noon position, he plotted an intercept of the Matson passenger liner SS Sonoma, overflying the ship at 2:45 p.m. when it was 724 miles (1,165 km) from San Francisco. Hegenberger recorded that the C-2 had picked up a strong tail wind around noon, pushing them for the remainder of the flight[6] at an average speed of 115 miles per hour (185 km/h),[22] and plotted a new course parallel to the original.[21]

A final checkpoint contact by daylight was attempted with the Dollar Line steamship SS President Cleveland. However, with visibility impossible in the numerous squalls, Hegenberger had to settle for establishing radio contact, which he did at 7:10 p.m. The ship reported its current position as 1,157 miles (1,862 km) from San Francisco and northeast winds of 30 miles per hour (48 km/h). However, when Hegenberger tried to obtain a position fix by radio direction finding, the transmitter signal from the Bird of Paradise was too weak for the ship to obtain a bearing.[21]

Before dark, and approximately halfway through the flight, the crew attempted to eat their inflight meal, but neither was able to locate the sandwiches or themos bottles. One of them was later quoted as saying the missing food was "the only mishap of the flight",[1] and that they eventually concluded (incorrectly) that the food had never been placed aboard.[22]

Kilauea Light, 2008

Arrival at Wheeler Field.

Maitland (left, with lei) and Hegenberger (center, with lei) at Wheeler Field, Hawaii, after the flight

At sunset, Maitland climbed the Bird of Paradise to an altitude of 10,000 feet (3,000 m) to place it above the clouds, where Hegenberger could frequently check their position by star sightings. At 1:00 a.m. Hegenberger made another attempt to acquire a radio compass reading and picked up the signal from the Maui transmitter. He found that the Bird of Paradise was south (left) of its course, instead of north (right) as they had thought. The Maui signal guided them for forty minutes before cutting out entirely.[23]

At approximately 2:00 a.m. (19 hours into the flight)[22] the center engine on the Bird of Paradise ran rough and quit, causing the aircraft to slowly lose altitude. Flying for an hour and a half on two engines, the C-2 gradually descended to 4,000 feet (1,200 m). Warmer air melted ice that had accumulated over the center engine's carburetor intake, allowing it to be restarted. The icing had occurred because the heaters for the air intakes had been removed during modifications, as a power conservation measure, when Hegenberger's flight plan did not anticipate encountering temperatures cold enough to require their use. With full power restored, Maitland climbed the Bird of Paradise to 7,000 feet (2,100 m), where scattered breaks in the clouds allowed star sightings to be made.[1][6][21]

Two hours later, Hegenberger's final star sights indicated that they were again "well north" of the planned route and that a 90 degree turn to the left was indicated. Maitland, "after some persuasion," agreed and altered course.[4] Just before 6:00 a.m. (3:20 a.m. Hawaii time), 23 hours into the flight and at their estimated time of arrival, the crew observed the lighthouse beam of the Kilauea Point Light Station on Kauai five degrees to the left of the nose of the aircraft.[6][n 12]

Flying in rain and complete darkness 100 miles (160 km) from Wheeler Field (an hour's flying time), Maitland decided to cut his airspeed to about 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) and circle over the Kauai Channel until daybreak, another two hours of flight, so that he could transit the mountainous terrain of Oahu visually in daylight.[18] The Bird of Paradise crossed the channel just below the cloud bottoms at an altitude of 750 feet (230 m), then dropped to 500 feet (150 m) to approach Wheeler Field from the northwest. Maitland observed what appeared to be thousands of spectators, and then the smoke from a salute by a field artillery gun. He made a low pass over the field to acknowledge the crowd before landing at 6:29 a.m. Hawaii time, Wednesday, June 29.[6][18]

The Bird of Paradise completed its flight to Hawaii in 25 hours and 50 minutes. A detachment of military police, including mounted M.P.s from nearby Schofield Barracks, surrounded the C-2 to protect it from the crowd.[1] The flyers climbed out of their airplane to be greeted by various dignitaries that included the Wheeler Field base commander Maj. Henry J.F. Miller, the Hawaiian Department commanding general Edward M. Lewis, then-Territorial Governor Wallace R. Farrington (Hawaii would become a state in 1959), the stunt man Dick Grace, and their mutual friend 1st Lt. John Griffith, who found the misplaced food when he inspected the aircraft—beneath Hegenberger's plotting board under a tarpaulin.[6][18]