Abstract
SEVERAL flights over the north geographical pole have been made since Rear-Admiral R. E. Byrd, U.S.N., made the flight in 1926 using Spitsbergen as a base. Most important was the Soviet expedition of 1937–38, but more flights are required, not probably for geographical discovery but for magnetic and meteorological research. Flights over Arctic Canada have been made on several occasions. It is now announced that a series of flights over both the geographical and magnetic poles are being made by an expedition from the Empire Air Navigation School of R.A.F. Flying Training Command. The aircraft used is the Lancaster Aries which was flown round the world last autumn by Wing-Commander D. C. McKinley. Four new Rolls-Royce Merlin XXIV engines have been installed. The base of the expedition is in Iceland, at least for the flights over the geographical pole. A Canadian base will later be used for flights over the north magnetic pole in Boothia Peninsula. The objects of the flights are stated to be. to examine the behaviour of compasses and automatic dead-reckoning gear, and to collect data on engine handling as well as magnetism and meteorology. The plane carries food for four weeks, sledging gear and arctic kit. The crew, all told, numbers eight and includes a medical officer, Wing-Commander R. H. Winfield.
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Proposed North Polar Flights. Nature 155, 629–630 (1945). https://doi.org/10.1038/155629d0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/155629d0