The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-26
Forty Starters in Race.


thrilling contest.
Forty Starters in Race
The starters, numbering about forty.
lined up opposite this great crowd. on
the south side of the field, for the wind
was from the north and northwest, and
a plane always heads into the wind in
taking off. At twenty minutes past
eleven, one plane got under way. It was
Hartney, the ace.
The next was a De Haviland with
400 horsepower Liberty. piloted by Sec
ond Lieut.. Carl Eliason, one of those
much denounced flaming collins" which
blazed the air trail to Alaska and back
and the backbone Of the air service.
Then followed at intervals three other
De Havilands with rival army and navy
pilots pressing them to the limit; the
Looming monoplane with Bradley of the
marines opening his throttle full; an
Arenco scout with Lieut.. st. Clair Street
leader Of the Alaska pathfnders, push
ing her ahead
After them came more De Havilands
Vousht navy planes, SE-5 scout ma
chimes. British made, but with American
Wright 800 motors in them; an Ansaldo
SVAs entered by civilian companies: u
Morane Saulnier "parasol" monoplane
with it's little ITO horsepower lie Rhone
motor suffering feebly in comparison
with the deeper roar OF Wrights and
Liberties; a Curtiss Kirkham triplane
ptloted by Second Lieut.. w. d. Culbert-
son. U. s. NJ. c., grimly determined but
doomed not to finish. and n De Hapiland
ambulance plane kidnapped at the last
minute by Lieut.. Eugene r. BarIIsdale
interpretations and skillful but likewise
to be downed by a ink.
And last Of all. at noon. after a pause
which seemed TO indicate that she was
out Of the running, came the much
talked OF Verville Packard. with Capt
Mosley At the controls
As the race progressed reports of
minor mishaps began to filter in. Sec
ond Lieut.. #. A. Johnson in an SEES
was down at Lufbery Field on the first
lap. Major Davenport Johnson. in q De
Haviland, was down at haywood. four
miles south OF Farmingdale. He made
a bunny landing and his face was cut
and his machine crashed
Lieut.. F. o. Rogers also flying a De
Haviland, was down at Sperry Field, a
broken connecting rod having silenced
his Liberty Culberson, the unlucky.
succumbed TO his jinx and the best bet
of the Marine Corps was out. Lieut.
Commander W. y. Haviland, in another
fast Curtiss triplane, likewise the fastest
OF the navy ships also failed to finish.
Seemingly in the ruck of the racers
unnoticed as q possible contender in
the Pulitzer Trophy honors, was Lieut.
(Junior grade) a. Laverents. In Vought
V. EFT plane, with $50 horse power
Wright motor. Seven Voughts were
in the race and all considered them
merely as engaged In hghting II out
among themselves for the Vought class
prize. They were not built for speed
flying as their large wings and COM
paratively small motors indicated.
But Lavercnts, unnoticed, plugged
along, and at every turn he Rugged the
pylon 80 closely he seemed about TO
embrace It. Every little advantage OF
the racing game Laverents employed
SO when tho timers noted his final time
of 55:39:19 after the race they were
surprised. as he, with a motor OF less
than half their power. had beaten out
the seventeen De Haviland planes and
won fifth place for the Navy
NotabIcs I'm Contest.
Both army and navy officials on the
field. including Gen. Pershing, Secretary
Daniels. Major-Gon. Charles y. Memo
her. chief OF the air service Brig. Gen.
Mitchell, Capt. Craven. chief of naval
aviation and many others were much