Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-12
VISITING AIRCRAFT
/ At BOILING FIELD
Giant Army Dirigible A
Among Eight Machines That
Halted There.

Washington was host today at Boil
ing Field to eight out-of-town air
craft. the giant Army dirigihle A
arriving here this morning at 9:45
o'clock after an all-night flight from
Akron, Ohio, while seven great De
Haviland "bombers' rested at the
field on their way from Boston to
Dallas. Tex.
The giant A became visible here
at 9:45 O'Clock, its giant cigar shaped
body Of aluminium color gliStening in
the sun when il gracefully circled the
Capitol. After curving around the
legislative halls the dirigible pro-
ceeded directly to Boiling Field, land
ing there at 10 O'Clock. The craft
left shortly after II o'clock for Lang
ley Field. Va.
Huge "A on Test Flight.
The "A is declared to he the big
gest Army ,1irigibie and is on a test
fight from the Ohio city to Langley
Field for observations as to tie utll-
ity of the lighter than-air craft The
Al is 1852 feet long. the gas bag
being about Seventy-three feet in
diameter. 1t is is feet in height. The
car carrying the crew and engine is
forty feet long, although 1T did not
appear third that size to the hun
dreds of spectators who watched 1t
today.
Lieut.. q. d. McEntire was com
mander of the dirigible, and James
F. Shade. the pilot. meckanician
also was carried. The craft landed
here to replenish it's fuel supply ami
pected that the dirigible would stop
at Boiling Field. it being supposed
the vessel would fly straight through
to Langley Field.
Beats Message Explaining Delay.
The A. according to reports, drop
ped a message at Landsdowne. about
six miles out of Baltimore. to the
effect that it had been delayed by an
accident to its exhaust valve. The
finder of the message was asked to
communicate these facts to the War
Department here. AS it worker out.
the big craft. by speeding up, beat the
message to Washington.
The big gas body has capacity of
$4,000 cubic feet. 1t has a lifting ca
pacity of $3.50 pounds. After greeting
officials a Boiling Field, and giving
various letters and communications
for the War Department. Commander
McEntire proceeded to Langley Field.
De Havilands Arrive Together.
The seven De Haviland bombers.
}.
landed at Boiling Field late yester-
day afternoon. after q fight from
Hazelhurst Field. y. Y. The fight
was made in Isl minutes the flyers
having been blown out to sea off
Sandy Hook soon after leaving the
field. The units of the squadron kent
together in good style, however, and
arrived in Washington together
The big planes are De Haviland
No. As, and are capable of making
$50 miles an hour Col H. B. ClaEgett
Is in command of the squadron. The
planes are on the last leg of the
'Texas-te-B Boston flight. begun sew
eraf weeks ago. The planes went by
way OF Minneapolis. thence east
across the URited States to Boston
The return trip was begun Thursday.
Each plane carries two men.
A Thrills Spectators.
fitting of the "A forward and back
ward as the big dirigible circled the
Capitol in a great half-mile sweep
caused much speculation among spec
tatorS in the streets. This motion
was caused by rudders, it developed.
handled by the navigators. and was
not due to circumstances beyond the
control of those managing the craft.
The "A left Akron at 10 o'clock
last night, and its average speed for
the 2I5-mile trip was % miles an
hour.
The De Haviland squadron may
leave Boiling Field late this after
noon. but it was stated there today
that the seven planes probably would
not resume their southern fight un-
til tomorrow.