Evening star., 1922-11-15
ENEMY B0MBERS
DEFEATED IN AIR
BATTLE OVER D. c.
Boiling Field Scouts Foil At
tack and Force Sur
render of "Foe."

Five huge Martin bomberS Sneakeo
into Washington from Langley Field,
Va, at 1870 o'clock this morning
with the intention of destroying
the strategic points in the city. but
they had no sooner arrived when they
were met by six fighting planes from
Boiling Field, who frustrated their
attempts and forced them to land at
the Anacostia station.
AS the Ave large birds" circled
over the city they were constantly
harrassed by three little SE-5 scout
planes, which unanswered in and
about the formation. firing vigorously
from mythical machine guns. while
a formation of three De Havilands
kept vigil directly overhead. With
out a doubt, II the fight were real. the
guardian aviators of Washington
would have emerged the victors.
Virtually all Washington looked up
ward and stopped in amazement as the
dozen or more planes roared overhead.
while many upper stories OF buildings
held interested spectators watching the
battle" as it progressed over the city.
Scouts Find Foes.
This morning Boiling Field got wind
that a quintet Of death-dealing birds
was leaving Langley Field and would
arrive over Washington about noon to
bomb" the daylights out OF everything
that came in its path. particularly the
Treasury, Capitol and railroad yards.
1t was but a matter of a few seconds
ha af
determined. Then three DeHaviland re-
Connoissance planes. one of them carry
ing a radio equipment. were sent out in
the direction of Norfolk to search for the
bombers and report.
short time later the radio station
at the field picked up the message
from the radio plane that the Martins
were heading this way and then three
little SE-5's-of the type that gave
western front-hashed off the field.
formed into a "v" and hid up in the
clouds. They were followed shortly
by another formation of three De
Havilands. and the six planes. perch
ed high and dry from the view of
Defenders Aggressive.
A rumbling told those on the ground
that the bombers were nearing their
objective and a few minutes later
they broke through the mist in a per-
feet formation. Out of the clouds like
a flash came the pursuit planes and
then the battle started. One little
fellow dashed in and out. first attack
ing the leader and then swinging
around on one wing for the last man
IT, ha h0y
ers continued to harass the compare
lively slow and clumsy ships as they
with difficult made their way over
the city.
Every few moments there was a
thrill for those who watched below.
Once 1t appeared that one Of the scouts
had dived right onto one of the bomb
Of the planes would drop down out of
control; from another part Of the city
came another scout tearing through the
air at every bit of 100 miles an hour,
to try his hand at downing the at
tacking force. He apparently had been
Bombers Surrender.
The bombers. however. with much
difiiculty succeeded in making a COM
plete canvas of the city. and at the
end of a half hour. seeing they could
do no damage, were forced to pick out
the first clear landing space or suffer
at the hands of the Boiling Field fliers.
They landed and surrendered at the
Anacostia station at IL o'clock.
They will remain here over night
and leave for Langley Field tomorrow
morning. The bombers were COM
manded by Capt. Edward c. Black,
and Lieuts. Acherly. Hornsby, Bur-
rowes, Craig and Hillary were the
pilots.
The defenders Of WASHINGTON were
Capts. Street and Oker and Lieuts.
Smith, Wilkins. Ramey. Baker. Beaton,
Beau and Wolfe.