New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-23
Aviator Darts, Dives and
Flies Upside Down at
Brighton Track.
BIPLANE LOSES HEAT
IN RACE WITH AUTO
Oldfield Makes Fast Time with
Car-Crowd Clasps at Dar-
ing Air Exhibition.

For more than two hours Lincoln
Beachey. daredevil aviator, and Barney
Oldneld, driver of racing automobiles.
KENT a throng in q state OF excitement at
Brighton Beach track yesterday after
noon.
Beachey had promised TO cut capers in
the sky. rain, shine or cyclone" but
fortune favored him. and his hairraising
performance was staged against clear
sky end in air unruffied by anything
more than a gentle breeze.
The old Illusion that an aeroplane can
not tip over without falling was COM
pIetely dispelled. Beachey turned somer-
saults. dropped thousands OF feet. flew
upside down and foundered about in the
Gear air until the spectators were dizzy.
Oldfeld drove his Fiat. cyclone and
Christie cars around the track at high
speed. His best time for one mile was
81 2-5 seconds.
Old6eld opened the big show by max
ing a mile in 81 seconds. but at the finish
he announced that the clutch had been
slipping and had his mechanicians remedy
the trouble He then went out and mace
the fast time given above
Then Beachey took his little biplane out
for trial fight and dashed about the
field for ten minutes. group of photog-
raphers was, thrown into CONSERVATION
when Beachey. shot from height OF So
feet directly at their heads.
Nth one accord they dropped their
cameras and fell fiat on the ground.
second later they scrambled to their feet'
while the smiling Beachey suddenly
leaped skyward again.
Tho hand was PLAYING merrily when
Bill Pickens. master of ceremonies,
picked up the megaphone and announced
the first thriller He said that Beachey
and Oldneld would race for the champion
ship Of the universe.
While Beachey's mechancians turned
ever the powerful Gnome motor Oldileld's
helpers cranked the big Fiat Cyclone.
Beachev got a little the better Of the
start. and while he finished the mile III
advance of his opponent the first neat
OF the race was given TO Oldheld; ume'
SO 3-5 seconds Oldheld then went out LOT
a record in his 30O-horsepower christie
end did the first three-quarters IN Sf12
seconds. but on the last quarter his motor
became flooded and, with great tongues
of fame enveoping the car, he limped
home: time for the mile, "A seconds.
Beachey stepped into his machine then
and sailed aloft climbing skyward at
steep angle. When he had reached an
altitude Of 5000 feet he cut out his motor
and the machine fell. tail downward for
more than a thousand feet.
Just as the spectators were gasping In
the firm belief that the aviator was
doomed Beachey executed sort OF side
flop. and once more the motor took up
its hum as the machine sped aloft again.
This time he did the famous loop. Here
and there he darted. first flying on
level. next rushing at lightning speed
toward the earth, then punslng heao
downward, and doing corkscrew spirals
with the same ease as though he were
flying in a normal position. -Four times
the daring flyer looped the loop, turning
over clearly and completely.
Many Of the women turned their heads
away. but the fascination Of the flights
vas too strong, and they had TO watch
the machine in spite OF themselves
Twelve minutes from the time Beachey
took tho air he landed, lightly as
feather. III front OF the srandstand.
While the crowd shouted applause
1;eachey. looking immaculate and I'M
ruled, Jumped into an automobile and
was whisked away.
This afternoon and tomorrow the
same performances will be repeated,
with variations.