The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-15
DANCER
FALLS TO DEATH
T0AvO|D CRASH
British Filler Breaks Shock Ia
Pupil Accompanying,
TRIED A GERMAN TURN"
Cadet Whom He Instructed,
Not Injured by Crash,

FORT WORTH, Tex, Feb l54
Captain Vernon Castle OF the British
Royal Flying corps was killed ihh
morning In his airplane fifteen miles
west Of Fort Worth,
Castle was the forty-thlrd air
casualty at Fort Worth since Brit.
ish and American flying schools
were established here last fall. The
large number Of casualties at those
fields 10 said TO be due 10 the OF.
tfaordinary amount Of flying done,
a. compared with other svistios
schools.
Castle has made over $50 fiphtS
over the German lines and the hero Of
many exploits In the war ione. His
work had been chiefly on the Flanders
front and covered period OF nine
months He came TO Fort Worth last
October along with Lord Wellesley,
lie was 81 years old.
swsrvsd TO Avoid Crash.
Castle was instructing an Americas
cadet, K Peters, whose only injury
was a black eye In tryin. to avoid .
collision with another airplane, Casth
werved his machine beyond control
and was unable to right himself,
Castles plane was neal the ground
and he was In the front seat instruct-
ing the cadet instead OF In the rear
where the Instructor usually rides. Had
he occupied the rear seat, he would not
have been injured, When he saw the
danger Of collision with the aps
preaching plane, Castle undertook
what ayiators know as an lmmelnsn
turn. The plane failed to respond and
he was stricken unconscious.
The accident occurred At the air.
dome at Benbrook, fifteen miles west
Of this city
Only 50 Feet From Ground. 81
Castle never regained consciouss
ness, but died in the field hospital
Concussion OF the brain was the cause
castle belonged TO the Eighty fourth
royal flying corps squadron,
The plane was only fifty feet aboya
The ground and was going rapidly
he plane with which the collision wac
was Just rising.
Doing q German Stunt.
The lmmeman turn in which Captals
lastle met his death was named after
Lieutenant lmmelman, the German
Iyef who downed many allied airplancs
before being shot down himself.
II Is combination turn and 4
wist while diving" said an aviatiou
officer. f1'
Captain Castle evidently tried ID
INC under and around the other ma.
vine but was too close to clear bic
own"
Castle was wounded but once In ne
illied service and then but slightly. He
vas an advocate OF the AIR service AZ
The means Of winning the war, but ale
Ways doubted the possibility Of return-
ng from Berlin in safety in the event
't raiding that city
Flying as Famous as Dancing.
His flying in and about For, Worth
Has,as famous as his dancing, for hi,
tunts in the air had held thousands Of
'oldlers and civilians spellbound day
'lter day His big roadster, toe
yhleh familiar sight on the coun.
ry klways attracted shout and
IttBS5F wherever il went
Castle was one Of the most popular
lyiators here.
Discussing the death Of Captain
astle today officers of both the Brit.
ih and American forces commented
lpon the fact that he occupied the
ront seat Of the plane, which Is un-
sual for an instructor
Was In Unusual Position.
Ordinarily the teacher is in the rear
cat where he can watch the cadet bet-
r and where he is in less danger from
fall He also can control the ma
hinc better from that position and can
ontrol the cadet IN the event he gets
Ncited Why Captain Castle was
,ated in front today is not known.
Lieutenant Colonel Roscoe, corms
ander OF the American air forces here.
I'D today the American signal corps
Walton section had tried to get Cap
in Castle to join the United States
ying forces but that his English birth
him strongly and he de-
ded to remain with the Royal Flying