Evening star., 1922-10-26
j. s. STUNT FLYERS
IN MIMIC BATTLE
Maneuvers Thrill Big Crowd
at Boiling FieId-Bombing
Is Feature.

Stunt flying of the most advanced
kind, including an amazing exhibition
of loop -the-loops. combined with
turnovers at an extremely low att
! tude; mimic air warfare and the bom-
bardment Of a fort thrilled the 1000
or more spectators who gathered at
Boiling Field yesterday afternoon 10
watch the most spectacular "circus
ever put on by the Army aviators at
Washington's famous flying field.
Despite threatening sky and
wind that made flying difficult the
crowd was the largest that ever at
tended such an exhibition. ana the
program that held the interest OF the
throng at high pitch conunuoustS
was carried out smoothly and With
out a mshap. =.
The most spectacular exhibition. OF
the day was the bombardment or
\ fort constructed at the southern emu
of the field. Sweeping across the long
stretch, three DH-4 planes in iofma-
H. X. Ramey and H. w. Beaton. drop
Iped dummy bombs on the Wooden 9
! structure. which automatically set OF
| charges by electrical contact tnat ue-
molished the building.
| Hit Balloons With Planes.
Other maneuvers Stimulating war
fare. including the pursuit and de-
struction of enemy aircraft. we're
carried out in dazzling fashion. The
only near-accident of the afternoon
occurred when Lieut.. T. B. Smith. IN
| DH-4 was being attacked by TWO
scout planes manned by Lieut.. L. M:
Wolfe and H. X. Ramey. AFTER oelnS
bombed high in the air, Lieut.. Sln' n n
set off smoke candles to LOOK as
though his plane were afire. These
| failed to work, and his fall to eartn'
which followed Immediately "as 50
realistic that he was able TO flgnt
his plane only just. in time TO mss mss
a clump of trees and SWING up INV
| the air to safety again.
| A stunt that was new to most OF
the spectators and proved hlghly m
teresting was the bursting OF larse
toy balloons in midair with the wings
of airplanes to demonstrate WIN
driven. Lieut.. Wolfe and Lieut.. Ra-
mey accomplished this feat severai
| times alternately. flying at a very
high rate of speed, which made IT
| even more difficult. The number OF
lost in Mexico and captured by pan :
looms with their wings was very hlgh.
Lieut.. Wolfe. the aviator who was
, lost in Mexico and captur deby ban :
dts in 1918. several times executed
his own pet stunt. for which he is
! famous in air circles, completing
several perfect "turnovers," Topping
| his plane all the way over sldewlse
| without losing his altitude.
| Other stunts. such as dropping FOOD
and chinaware to the ground on
parachutes without breaking any
| thing. also Interested and amused the
crowds
Army OmciaIs Present.
During the demonstration music
was furnished by the band from
Washington barracks. led by War
rant officer l.. S. Yassel. Photographs
taken in midair by Lieut.. Guy kirk :
| sey and Sergt Matas. were distributed
| at the close of the demonstration.
! Among the Army officials who at
| tended were Maj. Gen. Mason Pat
rick, chief of the air service; Brig.
Gen. william Mitchell. assistant chief
of the air service: Brig. Gen. H. II.
Bandholtz. commander of the district
of Washington: Rear Admiral Stitt,
and other Army and Navy officials.
Owing to the high wind, the two
! blimps from Aberdeen and Langley
fields failed to arrive. They were to
change crews during the demonstra-
ton and return.
AS a result Of the interest, a series
of spectacular air circuses probably
will be held here. According to Army
air officers. tentative plans already
are under way for national air meet
here next spring.