Trench and camp. ([Admiral, Md.) 1917-1919, 1919-03-06
REAL SELF-STARTINC PLANE
FLIES OVER. LAFAYETTE FIELD
Corp. Paul Thomas Monoplane Does Nose
Dive" Successfully, But Editor Lands
It in Post Office Tree.

With the wind blowing a gale and
hundreds OF soldiers and visitors
looking on in amazement, Corp. Paul
Thomas and Private Edward Cook Of
6th Company. Depot Brigade, were
sailing a real live" airplane over
Lafayette Field Sunday afternoon.
And they got results.
The editor got into the game. too.
and the plane landed in the limb Of a
tree, by the post office. but, of course.
that was no reflection on Thomas and
Cook or the plane.
For several hours the two soldiers
were flying the plane, which. by the
way, carried no passengers. 1t guided
itself and it scared over the hillsides
at fair rate of speed. several hun
dred yards at time, just like any
regular ladylike airplane would do
with human pilot at the wheel
then 1t hit the ground.
But the hit was not a hit 1t just
glided down, as nicely as you please,
and the landing could not have been
better Except in the EDITORS case)
even IL Rickenbacher had done the
power, that's all. and decided to come
down for more force. And. believe
an enthusiastic observer, 1t got more
force every time!
Thomas built the plane, a battle
monoplane type, which he designed
after pattern obtained from Cava-
nagh's book on model airplanes at
the camp library.
Plane Worth Two Dollars.
The trick was accomplished with
the outlay of about two dollars Of
Thomas pay, which he has never re-
GREETED. Somebody asked him what
the thing was that he attached to the
rubber bands which turned the pro-
pellers, and which looked like an egg
beater.
1T is just the thing-an egs-beater
from the five and ten cent store
said Thomas, who proc eeded to show
how the end of the beater had been
taken off so that the rubbers could
be adjusted to get the benefit OF the
turns of the cogwheel. When the
winding was completed to the proper
point the rubber bands were fastened
to the front of the machine, and
Selling the rear and holding the pro-
pellers fast, the machine was showed
off into the air on a slight elevation
above the horizontal.
sail away" said Thomas, and, sure
enough, it did. just AS he predicted.
and, landing In the wind. was carried
away off toward Portland road from
the northw estern end OF the field. sew
eral hundred yards away
Thomas also has succeeded in Ouiid~
ing Curtiss biplane Of the model
type and he is flying this also AT odd
times, so he declares. Cook has built
machines of the sane so"t. They are
made Of yellow pine. hand carved,
the wings being o: bamboo paper.
vanished.
Both lads tried to he transferred
to the air squadrons. but cou!c moi
obtain permission from he military
authorities. Thomas home is IN
York. Pa.
Nearly a thousand Engineer troops.
just landed from France, are expected
to come here within the next week
They are from the seth and 18th Engi-
neer regiments.
Secretary Ulrich of the "Y'' has been
made a notary public and will he a. the
service of all soldiers in cam, who wish
his aid. His Office is in the main "Y"
building
Piummer Harvey, j. J.. Hickman, f.:
and Harry f. Opdycke of the ''Y'' per-
sonnet III Meade have gone back TO their
places in civil life. They did fine work
in Meade and left a host of friends here
and among the soldiers who have al
ready been discharged.
1t was stated by Mr.. Harvey. too, that
his brother-in-law, GIL X. Wilson. the
aviator who was preparing for the min
istry, has returned TO his home in
Wheeling, after many exciting times in
France. 1T. and c. readers will re-
member his letters, which have been
published here from time to time
through the courtesy of Mr. Harvey and
Rev. Gill /. Wilson. the flier's father,
who was here nearly ten months as eX-
ecutiVe at 0 hut.
Rev. Romilly F.. HUMPHREYS. dean of
the Epiphany Chapel and House at
Odenton, has placed cards in front of
the house and in all sections of camp in
viting soldiers to visit the place and en-
joy the hospitality of the staff.
Besides 'being a beANAiful place of
worship, it is very attractive. in view of
the men who serve there and the char
acter of the furnishings, decorations and
Eementos to be seen.
The services of the chapel staff, con-
Quoted in the main 'Y auditorium, are
being continued each Sunday morning
at $50 o'clock.
1t is stated that shortly after the
trouble between members of the 18th
Infantry and colored soldiers at the
Loop canteen last August Col. Noyes
assembled the whole 18th Regiment
on the parade grounds Cne day and