The San Francisco call., 1910-01-15
PAULHAN FLIES
FIFTEEN MILES
CROSS COUNTRY
Travels in BipIane From Avia-
ton Field TO San Pedro
and Back
Engine Trouble BaIks Attempt
by Hamilton to Exceed the
Frenchman's Record

Louis PauIhan again took hOnOrS by
making The first cross country flight.
lie circIcd the wireless telegraph mast
and returned 10 Aviation camp after a
flight of 10 pfIes.
Two dirigfbIes engaged in a race
for the first time over the prescribed
official course. Knabenshue defeating
Beachey.
The BIeriot monOpIane, piIoted by
Paulhan. made it's first appearance at
1he meet. completing one circuit of the
field.
Glenn n. CurtiSs, in an official speed
trial for one lap, broke the record and
SCI the figures AT 2;I2 fat.
Charles r.. willard made a perfect
score of 100 points in the contests for
starting from a marked square.
Charles Il. Hamilton. in his CurtisS
machine, won tho slow speed contest
for one lap. Time, 3:3e 2-5.
Roy Knabenshue. in his big racing
dirigibIe. broke his own speed record
for one lap of the measured course.
Time, 5sIO %.
Louis PauIhan failed in an attempt
10 lower HamiItOn's slow speed record.
Pauihan again carried a passenger,
MaSson, and made two fast circuits of
the field.
Glenn II. Curtiss. with Lieutenant
Paul Beck, L. :. A.. as passenger, as
tended 20 test practicabiIIty of aero
plane in war. in effort TO drop bombs
on measured space. Curtiss descend
ed toO quickly and the test was post
poned.
Pauihan. late in the day, in attempt
iHS short turn maneuvers before the
sgrandstand, struck the ground with a
thud, breaking the tip on a lower plane
Of his machine.
Cortland Field Bishop. president of
line Aero Club of America, made a short
fight with Pauihan in a Farman ma
chime.
Charles n. Hamilton. in his CurtiSs
machine. announced he would make an
attempt for the high altitude record
held by PauIhaB. hut. after reaching a
height Of 800 feet. descended and an
nounccd he would try again some other
day.
AVIATION FIELD. Los ANGELES. !
5au. IA gray sky this time and
hawk eyed young American climbing
up and up TO snatch from the brow of
France the green laurels for the high
est in the world in a biplane Women
PRAYING silently and men holding back
gulps
This was what was above that great
cluster of 10000 faces at Aviation
field late this afternoon when Charles
is. Hamilton started out to wrest the
altitude record from Louis Paulhan.
7slo won ii only Wednesday with a
height of s.I65 feet.
That Hamilton did not win it. per
laps. is because he was brave enough
to turn back from the night world
above to those tormented faces again
ard came down from a height of 500
feet. saying: NY engine was not quite
right, I VIII try it again"
PAULHAN CHANGES PLAN
Paulhan careened wiIdly-it looked
around the course while this was go
ing on He was trying to make
speed record of the course for one lap.
Tie failed in more ways than one. Not
only did he fall below Glenn H. Curtiss'
time, but in trying TO descend in too
brief circle his machine tilted and
struck the ground. breaking one Of
the plane tips.
one Of the most important events of
the day was the attempt of Lieutenant
Paul Beck Of the United States army
signal corps TO drop a bag of ammuni-
tion into 4 measured space from $50
foot height in a Curtiss biplane. The
idea was TO find out whether in time
Of war il would be possible for an air
ship 10 drop bombs into the gun pits
OF the coast, destroying men and guns.
The effort was a partial failure be-
cause Of engine trouble and viii be
made again 1t is one Of a series of
army experiments on the program
Curtiss during the day continued to
allow Paulhsn to do the sensational
things while he went after speed and
durability records.
WILLARD MAKES RECORD
Hamilton went up after the slow
record of the course, a flight without
much interest except from the stand
point Of the tractability of the ma
chine. He Travelled at the rate Of
mile and a half in three minutes and
81 seconds. Willard later in the same
Curtiss type of machine made the time
3-lI l-5.
The Bleriot monoplane. which has
been compared 10 q dragon fly in the
air. started out from the tents with
Paulhan in the saddle. For the first
time since the meet began this little
machine, the type in which the English
channel first was crossed, made a COM
plete circuit of the course. The course
time was 2:4s.
Then came Hamilton's flight for
height
Cows dreaming in the green mead
ows. farmers working in their fields,
women by cottage doors in the peace
ful valley, fowl of the barnyards-
even in the fish in the sea saw a won
derful thing today along San Pedro
bay. High over the trees, outlined in
sharp profile against the gray sky.
came PauIhan from the scene OF his air
triumphs.
STARTS FOR san PEDRO
Paulhan in his Farman biplane came
out Of the gulley back Of the airship
tents unexpectedly. Starting though
on an ordinary trip around the course
he drew the great concourse of people
10 their feet in delight as he scared
high over the grandstand and disap-
peared in the direction of San Pedro
and the ocean.
lie flew about Is miles in all as the
crow flies, over a gentle landscape,