PROVING GROUND IN THE SKY

foreign [Music] this is the story of a new world's record for endurance flying 50 50 days and nights of continuous Flying Without landing and our standard Continental 145 horsepower engine on a Cessna 172 hummed it steady tune for 1200 hours without missing a beat this is the story of human endurance tool a flying skill courage and the remarkable determination of two young Pilots to keep going in spite of all the odds and of the tricky refueling operation that also took courage plus the coordination and precise timing of jugglers on a tightrope above all this is a story of performance of winds friction proofing which helped make possible this amazing world's record for endurance flying it All Began one warm summer day in July at Dallas Garland airport just outside the city of Dallas Texas here in the hangar Dr S.I Gleason director of wind oil companies research and development department discusses the job of preparing the single-engine Cessna 172 for the rugged endurance flight many of the regular fittings in the cockpit were ripped out in their place when an extra fuel tank supplies storage racks and a place for a mattress which the pilots used as a bed called the Comforts of a flying telephone booth then began the precise careful inspection and calibration of each and every engine pot this was done for two reasons first to make absolutely certain each engine part would conform to the exacting engineering standards required to meet the tremendous Challenge and second to obtain accurate bearing surface measurements of all parts which would provide valuable information on engine wear after a punishing 1200 hours of flying day and night without let up using a micrometer which measures to One Ten thousandths of an inch Dr Gleason first took readings on the cylinders tolerances here must be minimum to ensure Peak engine performance the slightest deviation could cause serious trouble later in Flight no margin for even the smallest error next the camshaft because evidence of excessive wear was noted in the plane's original camshaft it was replaced with a new one that met specifications not a single part escaped this careful measurement and inspection a key member of the pre-flight testing team was an inspector from the Civil Aeronautics Administration Wayne Tuttle his mission to observe and officially document the entire pre-flight testing and inspection of the engine and aircraft and to observe the flight itself and now the propeller shaft took its place for testing this shaft will revolve approximately two thousand times a minute turning the plane's propeller almost 150 million times in Flight think of the stress strain and friction on these parts that must function without fail if a new endurance flight record is to be achieved and so side by side inspector Tuttle and Dr Gleason checked rechecked and recorded measurement data on each engine part this massive figures was to serve as a basis for comparison with the findings taken at the conclusion of the flight when they finish their tabulation the engine was reassembled with pains taking care each part was dipped into winds friction proofing then fitted and secured precisely into place the slightest miscalculation could mean failure now takeoff was only a few hours away work was completed on the plane which could carry the hope of all who had put their hearts into work with measurement data and assembly completed inspector title applied eight official seals to various parts of the engine from this moment to the end of the flight no hand would touch or adjust or replace any part of this engine this was the real test of plane pilots and of the product that had proved Itself by helping to set speed and endurance records on the ground year after year winds friction proofing could it repeat its performance again this time in the air where for 50 days in-flight protection against damaging friction and wear was the most critical Factor as the ground crew snapped on the engine calling bearing the famous red and black bullseye the answer in everyone's mind was Yes she'll make it if and there were so many IFS and then at 701 PM August 2nd the engine roared to life and the takeoff was only minutes away as she taxied across the field to the takeoff position on the runway the plane was followed by the wind's friction-proofing distributor for North Texas Ed lamb and his sales force Ed lamb together with his son Norman headed a special refueling crew that played an all-important role in keeping the plane in the air and then she was off slowly slowly at first a gas Tank's heavy and brimful she lumbered down the runway faster faster she gathered flying speed then jumped off into space climbing foot by foot for altitude she headed for a lonely quest for a new world's record for endurance flying but now lay 49 days 23 hours and 59 minutes away once Airborne Pilots Heth and Burkhart climbed to a comfortable altitude then headed out over the city of Dallas below them radio stations announced the news of their takeoff and people looked Skyward for a glimpse of the tiny plane High overhead the two pilots started on the Triangular course they were to follow from Dallas to Shreveport Louisiana to Houston and back to Dallas Garland airport timing their flight to arrive for schedule refueling operations in the early morning and late afternoon and refueling was quite a challenge a dangerous and tricky one on radio contact with the plane added Norm lamb and crew loaded the refueling truck and took off down the runway while the refueling truck roared down the runway at 70 miles an hour the plane dropped slowly down until it was flying a few feet over the moving truck half in half out of the plane supporting himself on the wheel strut one of the pilots lowered a line to the refueling crew precariously balanced on the truck grabbing the line Ed lamb hooked on the polyethylene containers of gas and oil which had been pre-mixed with winds friction proving then the pilot hauled them up into the cockpit all this with truck and plane moving 70 miles an hour food water and supplies were airlifted the same way this operation took place 34 times a day 17 passes in the morning 17 more in the afternoon the endurance plane used seven gallons of gas per hour during most of the flight and oil consumption remained at an absolute minimum to change oil the pilots used specially designed equipment to drain four quarts from the crankcase and pump in for repeating this operation three times at each oil change gave them 90 percent new oil as each day passed the routine continued and routine itself became a problem day after day and night after night in the small cockpit life had to go on the pilots managed to take sponge baths and change clothes every other day and writing letters and doing crossword puzzles helped pass away the time and keep their spirits up they also managed to get an average of eight to nine hours sleep in a 24-hour period and took turns flying in three hour shifts but every now and then a change did occur in the calm routine dirty weather turbulent air menacing thunderheads the pilots had to get their small plane out of it and in a hurry as meteorologists checked reports from weather stations and outlying areas other critical questions arose and the thought of failure no record was on everyone's mind bad weather made truck to plane refueling impossible how far did the weather front extend and could a refueling operation be set up in another location in time back came the answers once it was clear weather to the north three times to the west and once to the east each time a crew was able to leave Dallas and set up refueling operations in clear weather areas and every time the weather started to close in on the Dallas area Ed lamb and his crew went into action a special polyethylene containers of fuel were loaded onto a fast twin-engine Cessna since no one was sure how long the weather front would last lamb and the crew went prepared to stay at the new refueling base as long as there was bad weather in Dallas and no matter how bad the weather in the Dallas area became Ed and normlam always managed to reach an alternate airport in time to deliver the all-important fuel and supplies to the plane on schedule the never-ending work of the refueling crew was one of the most important factors in the success of the historic flight after that the days went swiftly until they were just four days away from their goal then three two one they were close so close just hours away now and Below them at the Dallas Garland airport an enthusiastic crowd of over 8 000 eager Spectators awaited then at 7 17 PM September 21st the plane came out of the dark sky and landed with a new world's record for endurance flying 1200 hours and 16 minutes actually 50 days of continuous flying a distance equal to four times around the world non-stop excited crowds broke through police lines and mobbed the incoming plane as Pilots Burkhart and Hess stepped out smiling but bone tired and stiff they're happy families and friends rushed in to greet them it was an unforgettable scene in a moment of Triumph and Glory it was a hero's welcome home and they deserved all the joy and enthusiasm showered upon them and the hero's welcome it was complete with Beauty Queen Mary Nell Hendricks missed Texas escorted by a Marine Corps Honor Guard from Hensley Naval Air Station and while photographers flash bulbs popped and the crowd added their cheers the lovely Miss Texas posed with two huge wins friction proving trophies and the record-breaking Pilots but that was just the beginning of the Acclaim and honor they were to receive for immediately after they were driven to downtown Dallas in a police escorted motorcade where a huge reception attended by Civic dignitaries the Press radio and hundreds of well-wishers awaited the triumphant Pilots here Dr Gleason formally presented the wind's friction-proving trophies to Heth and Burkhart the pilots who had accomplished this remarkable feat the trophies were indeed lasting in beautiful symbols of their outstanding achievement and the beaming Smiles of Jim hath Dr Gleason and Bill Burkhart were happy evidence of their excitement and satisfaction at setting a new world's endurance flight record praise and awards went to Ed lamb and his dedicated crew for without their round-the-clock determination and tough hard work the new world's record would not have been possible and still more honors came to the pilots as an official of the Cessna Aircraft Company presented special awards from both Cessna and Continental movies back in the hangar her engine quiet for the first time in 50 days was the heroine of this true story for under her shiny cowling in the engine itself was some amazing evidence evidence that would prove conclusively the in-flight protection against damaging friction and wear afforded by winds friction proofing the next day inspector title of the CAA broke the official seals which he had placed on the engine before the historic flight began while he was doing this Dr Gleason inspected the engine's exhaust pipe which showed the first evidence of winds friction-proofing protection there was no black carbon just a fine gray dust the appearance of the engine was equally amazing the entire exterior was as clean as the day it was installed but inside the engine at critical friction and combustion points the real story began to unfold the spark plugs were inspected and although they showed definite signs of prolonged use there was no evidence whatsoever of carbon deposits which would result from imperfect combustion Maine and conrod bearings show no evidence of scoring or scuffing and measurements proved that wear was less than would normally be expected after only 800 hours of continuous use when intake and exhaust valves were inspected and measured it was noted they were also clean and in excellent condition nine of the valves showed nowhere at all and the other three no more than five ten thousands of an inch the camshaft two was in excellent condition and after 1200 hours showed absolutely no evidence of where on Journal bearings or Loaves and cylinder measurement told a remarkable story no accumulation of sludge or contamination and only thirteen ten thousands to Seventeen ten thousands measurable wear no more than one-third the wear that might have been expected on every engine part the evidence was the same condition excellent no appreciable evidence of wear photographs and certified measurements of engine parts were brought back to wind oil companies Department of research and development for further examination and evaluation crankshaft bearings appeared to be in perfect condition and measurements showed a minimum of wear piston head showed no signs of the hard baked on varnish or soot which often accumulates on the top cylinder area deposits pictured on normal residue from the use of leaded gasoline piston rings move freely in their slots and showed no evidence of gummy or sticky deposits or solid contaminants valve stems cam followers hydraulic valve lifters and rocker arms showed no signs of wear whatsoever but most important engine compression was just as High when the flight Ended as when it began proof that the engine produced full power throughout the entire 1200 hours of the flight meanwhile the CAA was also reviewing this factual data and it was only a short time until a letter was received at win oil company's offices in Azusa California a letter announcing the caa's approval of winds friction-proofing based on the findings of CAA inspector Wayne Tuttle the letter read in part we consider winds friction proving aviation fuel conditioner and winds friction-proving heavy duty for aircraft engines acceptable for use and so the approval of the CAA now known as the FAA the story of the new world's record for Non-Stop Light plane endurance flying was officially recorded and added to the long list of winds friction proving firsts a list of Firsts that includes the winner of the famed Indianapolis 500 and the record smashing winds friction-proofing Streamliner that sped to a 270.473 miles per hour record on the Bonneville Salt Flats but before the historic 50-day non-stop record flight could be written into all the record books another Cessna plane went Aloft to try to break the newly established record taking off from McCarran Airfield in Las Vegas Nevada less than three months after the 50-day record flight had been set the pilots of this plane were hoping to stay aloft 60 days as they climbed to altitude the shadow of their tiny planes sped across the Nevada desert reminding the pilots that perhaps the only thing which would touch ground for the next 60 days would be the shadow of their plane Pilots Robert Tim of Las Vegas and John Cook of Los Angeles put their hopes and faith in the Cessna 172 which was being sponsored by the Hacienda Hotel in Las Vegas this plane is exactly like the one used by Heath and Burkhart Over Texas with one exception instead of carrying auxiliary gasoline tanks in the cockpit a special belly tank with a 95 gallon capacity was mounted under the plane this made it possible to have gas pumped into the belly tank from a refueling truck speeding below the plane and in just one pass it was possible to pump the full 95 gallons of gas into the tank gasoline was then hand pumped by cook and Tim into the wing tanks oil supplies and food were passed up to them from the refueling truck in a manner similar to the procedure used during the Texas flight and to make absolutely certain no secret Landings were made the plane's tires were coated with paint then inspected for Telltale Landing marks by officials as the plane flew just overhead day after day this routine was repeated until the bright sunny afternoon when the tiny plane nosed over and made its Final Approach down the runway at McCarran Airfield Las Vegas as its Wheels gently touched the ground exactly at 2 hours 11 minutes and 55 seconds past noon the pilots and plane had established an almost incredible new world record for endurance flying 64 days 22 hours 19 minutes and 5 Seconds of continuous flying over 1558 hours in the air as pilot Tim steps out of the plane even the bushy beard he grew during the flight could not hide his happy smiles as he is warmly greeted by his wife and children who seem more delighted by their father's new beard than his tremendous achievement clean shaven co-pilot cook equally happy and smiling follows his partner out of the plane to the cheers of a jubilant crowd led by screen star Preston Foster chairman of the record-breaking flight program and the sponsor of the flight Mr Warren Doc Bailey president of the Magnificent Tassie and a hotel in Las Vegas who presents the two huge winds friction-proofing trophies to the pilots in recognition of their successful record-breaking flight but it was winds friction proofing that helped make the performance possible as pilot Tim said we chose winds over all others because we heard that the pilots who set the 50-day record down in Texas used wins friction-proofing products in their plane sure enough winds delivered top performance for us just as everyone said so to the ground crew who deserve a well done for keeping the plane in the air to the sponsor Mr Bailey president of the Las Vegas Hacienda Hotel Mr Preston Foster chairman of the program Pilots Tim and cook the manufacturers of winds friction-proofing products expressed their appreciation and pride in helping to make possible a new world's record for endurance flying and this in the continuing parade of world record speed and endurance events it is clearly demonstrated again and again that with winds friction proofing the proof is in the performance thank you