Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1921-04-28
a Thrilling Day in ChS..es Town.

Four or hve thousand visitors gath
ered on the horse show grounds in
Shailes Town on Tuesday TO see the
hrSt aerial circus" ever held in this
section. Ii was a sort of celebration
OF The establishment of a landing place
!or mail planes on the route between
Dayton, Ohio, and Washington CITY.
len flying machines were OF the field.
Seven arrived from Washington at IL
O'Clock, two more came in at 80, and
the mail plane from the west dropped
gracefully down at $40.
Nine of these planes were of the
army type, there being seven single
seated fighting planes and two double
seated scouting planes on the ground.
me tenth plane was a single seated
plane from HagerStown, the type that
IS now being manufactured for s., 500
Nine OF the planes were equipped with
ValVe-in-head, twin six cylinder
motors. The other was equipped with
rotary motor of nine cylinders. The
most noteworthy of these planes was a
tokNer captured bv the United States
from Germany in the late war. Ii had
been remodeled. however. and was
lying American colors. The inscrip-
tons on the gauges, dials and con-
trols OF this plane were in German
and excited the curiosity of the throngs
who examined IT,
/ he aviators performed to the ad-
miration of the spectators. Among the
stunts were the nose dive, the falling
leaf, spiraling and the loop-th loop,
and the beholderS were properly thrill
ed as they wondered what the human
birds would do next with their ma.
chimes. The planes started on the re.
turn trip to Washington at 3.45. Some
famous aviatcrs were present, among
them being Major T. Menuher,
Chief of Air Service, u. S. A.: Lieut.
Col. H. E. Hartney. an Ace. seven
German planes, d. s. G. Mons Medal
Legion of Honor and other decora.
tons; Lieut.. VIM. D. Upton. and Ace
five German planes, two balloons, D.
). {. of Great Britain: Capt. Temple
N. lovce, established in France loop
record; Major A. L. Sneed, air officer
Lieut.. r. A. Dunn. flight commander
Boiling Field; Major Iohn Hambleton
squadron commander on battle front
citations and decorations.
The percentage of thrills caused b,
accidents on Tuesday was large, three
OF the ten planes coming TO grief il
one way or another, and this RECORD
SduSSu llloSt IolkS 10 lose some OF theil
enthusiasm for air flights. Fortunate
ly no person was hurt, the only damage
being to the machines. AS plane No
A S S342 was making its landing wher
it first came on the field the aviator
got too close to a fence row. and one
of the wings caught in a sapling
swinging the machine into the bushes
where ii remained exposed to view
in on ignCminous position all day
nose in the ground and tail in the air
No. F $40 dropped too suddenly ant
too swiftly as it was landing after g
fancy flight, and it smashed its wheel'
and broke its propeller. Its pilot was
considerably Jared but he emerged
from the wreck smiling. The Hagers,
town machine swung too low and cam
into unromantic collision with a stable
The stable stood the shock better thar
the plane, the latter being pretty bad
lv broken I'D.
Barring the accidents. and the fac
that there was not a drop Of water or
the grounds with which to auench ner
! fectly legitimate thirsts. a pleasant
time was had bv all, and the American
) Legion will probably add a comfort
able sum to its treasury.