20 hrs., 40 min. - Amelia Earhart

This time all I could see was the silhouette of the various landmarks in the harbor. In the early morning light it was impossible to distinguish colors.

Bill headed the plane into the wind and gave her everything she had. We flew over the water, but the drag of the pontoons held us down. We tried again from a greater distance and still the water wouldn’t let us go. Out went six five-gallon cans of gasoline— we had only eight—for another try.

* * * *

Ordinarily a ship of this type is equipped with two wing tanks, which carry 95 gallons of gasoline. We had four. Many people don’t realize, when they see a monoplane in the air, the thickness of the wings. From bottom to top the wing of Friendship measured about twenty-eight inches in some places; but after all this, in comparison with the great wing spread of seventy-two feet, gives an appearance of slightness. For a long cruise extra gasoline carrying capacity is needed, so Friendship was equipped with two special tanks, elliptical affairs, which bulged into the space just aft of the cockpit usually occupied by passengers.

PERCY CROSBY’S SKIPPY HAS HIS OWN IDEAS ABOUT FLYING THE ATLANTIC

‡[Comic panel #1 Boy: IT TOOK SOME NOIVE FOR AMELIA EARHART TO FLY OVER THE OCEAN.

Comic panel #2 Skippy: OH, I DON’T KNOW.

Comic panel #3 Skippy: SHE MIGHT O’ BEEN AFRAID TO GO ON A BOAT ’CAUSE SHE WAS SCARED O’ GETTING SEASICK.