Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-08
AERIAL MlANEIVERS RECALLED:
FLIGIfTS.BY FAMOUS .AVlATORS
Daring French, Italian and British AAii;rmen
Give Exhibitions at Potomac Park That
Liinger as Thrilling Memories Of War.

Aerial acrobatic maneuvers, originated
by famous French and British aviators
so as to successfully combat German
planes, have, been demonstrated In
Washington. during the last six months
~ many Of the celebrated "acesf' and
air pilots Of the allies. From the time
the desolate-looking plot Of land I'm Po-
tonac Park. west Of Highway bridge.
was roped OF as an aviation field. until
.oday, when it vies with many Of the
mall training fields for student avia-
tors. celebrated air pilots have thrilled
! the city with their daring exhibitions Of
aerial solo maneuvers. 80
Lieut. Col. Charles L. Lee Of the Brit
ish Royal Flying Corps, the first noted
allied aviator. to demonstrate actual
aerial fighting conditions in the, Ma
sional Capital, brought his Avro biplane
are in the early spring. when the avia-
IN field in Potomac Park had nothing
1t small tent for a hangar. Since
.aen q giant corrugated steel hangar
capable Of storing half a dozen planes
has been erected and hundreds Of mod
els Of American, French, British and
Italian planes have been housed there
since its erection.
From the time. Lieut.. Col. Lee and
also of the British Royal Flying
Corps. came here they alternated
every day in giving the city, thrill.
Thousands of. government war work
ers would %congregate on street cor
ners, while thousands OF others would
go to the aviation field to witness the
daring exhibitions of tn. Immerfan
turn. the falling leaf and the. nose
dive. Although these two British air
pilots flew over. the city In the morn
ing. they usually: staged the death
defying stunts In the .afternoons,s when
the war workers were hurrytng home
to their dinners 49, -. $50.
Z; Narrowly Escapes Death:
Although Lieut. Col Lee never met
with an accident during, his stay in
Washington, Capt Sully several times
narrowly escaped death. Once he was
latter part OF May. and. when attempt
ing to land the wind caught the. small
plane and, If 1t hadn't been for the
presence of mind of two mechanics
who caught the plane, it would have
crashed into the trees near thewater's
ledge. -
These two British avfators returned
to their native country in: June and
were succeeded by the even more
daring French ''taces"-Lteut. Georges
Flaschaire and Lieut.. Constant Sou
lier, beardless. youth of nineteen
years. Both of these aviators have
more than ten German planes to their
credit and have been awarded many
war crosses for their bravery. Lieut..
Soulier has been given every French
war cross manufactured. except the
Legion of Honor. and he has been rec
commended for. that. but deferred on
account Of his youth. (The French
Legion of Honor is not awarded to
persons under rwenty-one years Of
age.)
Soon after the advent Of the noted
French fiiers, Capt. Silvio Resnati of
the Italian Flying Corps-killed in
his plane feIiIand sergt. Ginafeiice
Gino. also of the Italian Flying Corps,
flew here from Langley Field :: at
Hampton roads. Va. In their planes.
City Resembl French Town.
Capt Resrati brought his giant
bombing Caproni plane. while Sergt.