On November 29, the Floyd Bennett took off from Little America with Byrd as navigator, pilot Bernt Balchen, radio operator Harold June, and photographer Ashley McKinley. The plane was loaded with camera, food, and fuel. All items were weighed carefully and considered before loading, as all of this weight seriously reduced the plane’s performance. Even with this carefully planning, the plane struggled as it neared the mountains. The difficult decision to throw part of the load from the plane was made. The choice was food or fuel. Byrd decided that the food would go, so they dumped one bag of food, and then another. Finally, the plane cleared the mountain. On November 29, the Floyd Bennett circled the South Pole. Byrd dropped the flag of the United States, weighted with a stone from the grave of Floyd Bennett. Then the party returned to the fuel depot at Mount Nansen, and returned to Little America.
From left, Harold June, Byrd, and Ashley McKinley, 1929, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7773_14.
Albert Bumstead showing Byrd how to use the sun compass, ca. 1925, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7710_5.
Bumstead Sun Compass, ca. 1920s, designed by Albert Bumstead of the National Geographic Society, Richard E. Byrd Papers, Box 449. The sun compass was an essential navigation tool, and designed specifically for Byrd.
Dead Reckoning for Polar Flight, 1929, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #5346. Dead reckoning is the navigational process of estimating your position by advancing a known position using course, speed, time and distance to be traveled. In other words, figuring out where you will be at a certain time if you hold the speed, time and course you plan to travel (Source: www.dirauxannex.org/Nav1.html).
Byrd in the library of Little America, prior to the South Pole flight, with a stone from Floyd Bennett's grave, 1929. Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7778_1. Byrd dropped the stone, wrapped in the small American flag, from the plane when they were over the South Pole, in honor of his pilot of the North Pole expedition of 1926.
Chart, Consumption Cruising Speed, 1929, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #5346. The weight of the plane and all supplies on board was of concern. Byrd and the flight crew knew that the performance of the plane was directly related to its weight. Even with this careful planning, part of the load still had to be thrown overboard in order to get the plane above the mountains.
"If we can't we will have to dump some load," handwritten note from the South Pole Flight, November 29, 1929, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #5346. The weight of the airplane was of serious concern as they approached the mountains. In fact, they did have to dump some load, and sent bags of food overboard to lighten the airplane.
"Must soon turn North," handwritten note from the South Pole Flight, November 29, 1929, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #5346. The noise in the plane was so loud, the men communicated with notes.
Engine Log for Polar Flight, by Bernt Balchen, 1929, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #5346.
South Pole Flight Log, November 29, 1929, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #5346. The entry for 1400 hours indicates that they have reached the vicinity of the South Pole.
Transcription (Google Gemini, 2026):
South Pole now eleven thousand
feet. over polar plateau - June
1200 m.3 flying well. Motors fine. at
twelve about ninety miles
from south pole - Byrd
1300 m.4 flying well. Motors fine.
Headed south - June
1400 m.5 My calculations indicate we
have reached vicinity south pole
flying high for survey airplane
in good order crew well will
soon turn north can see almost
limitless polar plateau. Departed
pole one twenty five Byrd
1530 m.6 flying well. Motors fine are
at Mts soon starting down
June.
1620 Landing at Mt base June
Chart of Route Flown by Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd from Little America to the South Pole, on Nov. 28-29, 1929, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #5344. This chart is from the report presented by Byrd to the National Geographic Society.
Transcription (Google Gemini, 2026):
CHART OF ROUTE
FLOWN BY REAR ADMIRAL RICHARD EVELYN BYRD FROM
LITTLE AMERICA TO THE SOUTH POLE ON NOV. 28 - 29, 1929
RETURN TO LITTLE AMERICA
OUTBOUND FROM LITTLE AMERICA
8h 18m A.M. GREENWICH CIVIL TIME
Geological party camp
8h 47m TO 9h 20m P.M. G.C.T.
Refueling depot
Axel Heiberg Glacier
Mt. Ruth Gade
9h 45m P.M. G.C.T.
SOUTHBOUND
RETURN
163rd MERIDIAN WEST
171st MERIDIAN WEST
SOUTH POLE
1h 14m (1h 25m P.M.)
GREENWICH CIVIL TIME
NOVEMBER 29, 1929
12h 38m P.M. Sumner line from mean of two altitudes of the sun.
12h 38m P.M. Position by dead reckoning.
180th EAST WEST LONGITUDE
DIRECTION OF SUN
1h 05m P.M. Position by dead reckoning.
1h 06m 30s P.M. Sumner line from altitude of the sun.
SOUTH POLE
Maneuvers about Pole
90th EAST LONGITUDE
90th WEST LONGITUDE
MERIDIAN OF GREENWICH
NOTE: In navigating a plane by dead reckoning, the accuracy with which the speed and the direction of flight can be determined depends largely upon the quality of the instruments used and the experience and skill of the observer. On his flight to the South Pole, Admiral Byrd was equipped with the most accurate instruments available for air navigation, and his dead reckoning was checked in distance by astronomical observations, and in direction by the landfall made on the return trip. Your committee is convinced that a course passing within 4 nautical miles of the South Pole was made good, and that the return trip was not commenced until a distance had been accomplished which carried Admiral Byrd and his companions to, and probably beyond, the South Pole.
Hugh C. Mitchell
Albert H. Bumstead
Henry G. Avers
Over the hump, the South Polar plane over the head of the pass of Liv's Glacier on the way to the Pole, 1929, Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7753_3. Altitude about 10,500 feet. The top of Mount Nansen, at left, is 15,000 feet high.
The crevasses at Latitude 82 degrees 12 south, 1929. Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7753_4.
Pressure ridge on Bay of Whales near Little America, 1929. Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7754_6.
Pressure ridges, with Little America in the background, 1929. Richard E. Byrd Papers, #7754_10.