Evening star., 1917-09-22
THREE A|RP[ANES
ARRIVE HERE TODAY
Italian Machines, Coming From
Newport News, Thrill Thou
sands of Spectators.
TEN PERSONS IN ONE CAR

Three airplanes, one of them huge
craft carrying ten persons, thrilled thou
sands of spectators in Washington to-
day, on the completion of an exhibition
fight from Langley Field, near Newport
News, Va, an airline distance of lis
miles.
The machines were. of Italian construc-
ton and each was ploted by lieutenant
in the Italian aviation service. At the
end of the trip Washington residents were
treated to their first glimpse of the
spiral nose dive and the falling leaf
two startling maneuvers which have been
developed over the European battlefields.
These tricks with several '1oop-the- loops"
were performed by Lieut. Baldioli in a
Comolio machine with Lieut.. Franklin X.
Lane, jr., son of the Secretary of the In
terror and an aviator in the American
Army. These two, although the last to
leave Newport News. were the first to ar
rive over the polo field in Potomac Park,
where the landing was made. ahead of
the bigger air boat
The second machine to leave the
Langley field for Washington was a
with Lieut.. Abbetti as observer 1T
made the flight to Washington without
incident and circled over the polo field.
but when swinging around to the west
the gasoline suddenly gave out and
the pilot was forced to land in a field
near the Virginia end of the Highway
bridge.
Prominent People See Flight.
Secretary Lane was not a passenger
from Newport News. as had been ex-
pected, but was on the ground to well
come the fiiers when they landed. With
him were a large number of Army and
Navy officers. several members of Con-
gress and a few officers from the
French and English military services
who happened to be in Washington.
Mr.. Lane smilingly Explains.
Asked why he had failed to make the
flight as scheduled. Mr.. Lane said, with
a smile:
Il really expected to go along, but
the President suggested yesterday that
it was an unnecessary risk. and l can
take hint"
The pilot of the big Caproni car was
Lieut.. Silvio Ressnati and the passenger
list included DR.. William F. Durand
chairman of the national advisory COM
ton of the bureau of standards, and who
also is a member of DIR. Durands com
mittee: w. B. Stout of the international
aircraft and centralizat tion board: S. J.
Kubel of the geological survey. Capt
Tappf of the Italian army and foul
mechanics.
The big Caproni car left the field al
s:15 O'Clock, the speedy Sia car started
on its way at $50, and fifteen minutes
later the Comolio left the ground
l a n'n1n he Cfo
spotted by the thousands of observers
in Potomac Park. but short time later
it was seen to descend across the river
1t was 11:15 when the next airplane
carrying Lieuts. Baldioli and Lane, came
into view and for ten minutes they few
over the polo ground. the monument.
the White House and the Potomac. They
landed at 11:23 O'Clock.
Tiny speck" Appears.
BY this time hundreds of automobiles
were parked about the polo grounds and
thousands were straining their eyes for
sight of the big machine. At IL :2S O'Clock
a tiny speck broke from a fleecy cloud
that hung to the southwark, and the cry,
There it is.' went up But SO tiny did
it lock at the altitude of more than 7,0OO
feet that for a long time many thought
it was another small plane. Lieut. Res
snati flew slowly over the field. where SOL
diers with fixed bayonets were keeping
back the crowd. and then descended in a
series of graceful spirais, landing lightly
and running up toward where the group
Of officers was waiting
Flight Was Without Incident"
The flight was very pleasant and with
out Incident" said Mr.. Stout to a re-
porter. I'VE followed an air line drawn
from Newport News to Washington and
most of the time made a speed of about
ninety miles an hour. Our greatest alti-
tude was reached near Montrose where
We crossed the river. being about eight
thousand feet We were only few hun
dred feet lower than that when we first
few over the polo grounds
AT one time we descended to within a
few hundred feet of the earth but the
air currents made it SO rough that we
rose again. Most of the way we were
buckins a strong head wind
Approaching Washington we ran into
lot of fieecy clouds. and for a time
Lieut. Ressnati steered between them.
as one might steer a boat among a
group of islands. Finally. however, they
got so thick that we rose above them
ton.
We did not see either of the small
machines pass us, but understand they
saw us
Gives Exhibition Flight.
After the long flights were completed
Lieut. Ressnati made an exhibition
flight alone in the big plane, and Lieut.
Baldioli, with Lieut.. Lane as pas
senger. looped the loop and showed the
famous dives.
1T was a fine flight" said Lieut
Lane, as he stepped out of the machine
the second time and shook hands with
his father. I'VE passed the big ma
chine as it was crossing the river
being to the west of them and a little
below them"
SWEDISH ENVOY ARRIVES