The Washington herald., 1918-03-25
FRENCH ACE
DOES STUNTS
IN The AIR
Gives Thrilling Imitation Of
Actual Warfare in
the Clouds.

While his compatriots In France
were battling in the clouds with
Boehe airmen above the greatest
battle in the worlds history, Lieut.
Georges Flachaire, French Ace, In his
spad blplane gave Washington
mimic battle in the air with two
large navy hydroplanes. o..
No flying exhibition ever seen IN
Washington equalled the flight which
took place over the Polo Field yea
terday. And after the aviator had
landed he was surrounded by men.
women and girls OF all ages and
literally had TO fight his way through
the crowd Of admirers.
French @Aee" Given Ovation.
His walk from the hangar where
his machine was housed was a
triumphal march seldom Witnessed in
this city. accompanied as 1t was by
myriads Of cheers and the chorus OF
thousands OF automobile sirens and
horns.
Lieut.. Flschaire asceuded In his
Spad battIeplane and performed every
one and more OF the startling
stunts" he had given in previous
flights.
Two large naval hydropianes from
the hangar opposite the local navy
yard also were in the air at the
same time sailing over the field. The
hydroplanes were Curtiss machines
and made a speed of 100 miles an
hour.
Compared with the small 6ghIing
plane OF the French Ace the Two 9TH
ers hardly moved and were absolutely
helpless before his attacks. One and
then the other OF the hydropIanes were
theoretically attacked and shot down
by the French aviator in his faster
and lighter airplane
. Climbing into the air above one OF
the American machines. Lieut.. Fla
chaire lost his altitude In series
OF twists and turns and then with a
long swoop was over the hydroplane
where he hovered while he theoretical
~ attacked him.
Defeats "Enemy- Craft Readily.
Rapidly overtaking the second Amer
ican plane. he again sailed round IL
and it theoretically met the same fate
as the other. The machines rose.
darted, swooped and turned but the
big hydroplane could not shake or
the smaller machine with its hum
mingbird-like twists and turns.
Looping. twisting and turning this
way and that. Lieut.. FIachaire has
thrilled Washington before. Yester-
day he performed all OF his previous
feats around the two hydropIanes
Several times he ICoped the loop
around one or the other of the ma
chimes and none OF them vas high III
the air. He was over, under, behind.
in front and on either side Of both os
the other airplancs throughout the
flight. Falling like a broken thing
toward the earth the Ace" would
right his machine at the last momCnt
and skim over the surface of the
ground and around the e6g. OF The
field just sEimming the tr, etops and
then up higher inc the ai' % per-
form further feats OF repeat previous
ones,
Should good weather prevail today
the lieutenant will leave here this
morning about $50 or 10 O'Clock for
Philadelphia. where he will land and
continue his flight to Mineola. l.. J..
the succeeding day. where he expecIs
to remain TOR some time. In the
face OF bad weather the flight will
be postponed until tomorrow or the
succeeding day. His exhibition yas-
terday was announced as his last in
this city.
Flights Witnessed By TLsusaads.
Thousands witnessed the Nights the
equal of which has never been seen
be fore in Washington. One thing only
was lacking 10 make the illusion that
Il battle was taking place in the air
above the city-that was the rattle
OF machine guns.
So eager was the crowd who wit
messed the flight to see the French
aviator and get close TO him that te
was held a prisoner for some time,
shaking hands. smiling and bowling.
and finally when he did manager 10
break free he raced pursuing crowd.
ed by a cheering band Of small boys.
amid din of automobile horns to his
own machine and on to his home
here.