New-York tribune., 1920-11-26
U. S. Aerial Supremacy
Proved, Says Gen. Nit
chell, When Plane
Makes l78 Miles an Hr.
10000 Cheer Feat:
Navy Out of Luck
Phenomenal Flight by
Vought VE,-7; Daniels
and Pershing at Contest
By lack Binns

The Vervlle-Packard battle plane,
pet of the Army Air Service, cstab-
lished worlds record for closed cir
cult racing on Long Island yesterday
by flying 1872 miles in ID minutes 29.5
seconds, at an average speed of 17S
miles an hour, including turns. The
race, Brigadier General William Mitch
ell, of the Air Service, said, insures
American supremacy in the air.
The victory of the speedy army
machine in the contest for the Pulitzer
Trophy and Valentine Fund prizes of
the Aero Club Of America was achieved d
over the foremost naval machine under
thrilling circumstances before 10000
persons. 1t was witnessed by General
John ]. Pershing, Secretary of the
Navy Josephus Daniels and almost
every prominent aeronautical expert of
America.
The mere accident of faulty carbure
tion prevented Captain Corliss C. Nose
ley, who was at the stick of the army's
speed demon, from establishing new
worlds record for straightaway speed
AS 1t was, the graceful single-seater
tore around the thirty five mile circuit
at three miles minute, with the en-
ginc throttle but three-quarters open.
Fate Prevents Navy Feat
Fate i'll the form of broken water
rOrnOcfiNn ;y,fo I
moment Of the race and prevented the
Navy from obtaining close second
place in the contest between the rival
services. Lieutenant B. G. Bradley, L
S. M. c., was compelled to bring his
Looming Special monopane to a forced
landing within q mile of the finish line
after tearing around the last lap at 16O
miles an hour with rapidly freezing
engine.
Although this consolation was denied
to the naval team, the phenomena
performance of the U. S. Navy Vought
VET biplane, piloted by Lieutenant A
Laverents, more than made up for the
disappointment. This is an advanced
type of training plane, equipped with
a Wright 1870 horsepower motor, de.
signed for normal speed of 100 miles
an hour. Driving his craft with supert
skill, Lieutenant Lavcrents forced il
to the absolute limit. and succeeded ir
making an average speed of 1888 miles
an hour for the entire course an(
winning fifth place from the field. His
achievement won tremendous applause
Thirty-six machines started, and al
hut eleven completed the course Not
a single mishap OF serious nature
marred the success of the event, which
the race officials declared was the most
important ever held. Almost every
Am ricandesigned plane exceeded its
normal speed in the grillng encounter
with the possible exception of the Yer
vile-Packard. which was throttiet
down. The only foreign machine tx
win place was the beautifully stream
i;ned Italian Ansaldo SVA biplans
piloted by Bert Acosta. who beat Cap
tain St. Clair Street, of Alaska fame
by the scant margin of 80 seconds The
latter was flying an Orenco 5.plane O.
the Ordnance Engineering Company
Record Throng at Race
The race was witnessed by the
greatest throng ever assembled at al
aviation meet. Every road along tn,
triangular course, which stretched
from Mitchell Field-the starting anC
finishing point-to Wantagh, thence tc
Babylon, and back to Mitche. Field
vas jammed with automobiles The
aviation fields at the three turning
POINTS were crowded to capacity By
eager spectators. The policing arrange
ments by the U. S. Army Air Service
proved excellent, and kept the landins
field clear at all times.
The interest Of the vast crowds wa.
centered in the Verville Packard anc
the Looming Special. The latter, en-
(ContInucC on next pao.,