The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-10-04
PLANE LAUNCHED
FROM DRIGIBLE
$500 FEET IN AIR
Stunt Is Characterized As
New Chapter In Avia-
ton =
FLYING BATH TUB
DOES SOL AN HOUR
$4,000 Persons View Sec
ond Days COMPETE
ton At Dayton
lBy Associated Press

n L n
DAYTON, O., Oct. 3.-Char-
acterized by Major General
Mason M. Patrick, chief of the
United States air service as
having written a new chapter
in aviation, an airplane for the
first time in history was
launched in rnid-air at Wilbur
Wright field today and got
away under its own power.
The experiment was carried on
with a Sperry messenger
plane, hooked on underneath
the car of the army dirigible
TC-5, as a stunt for the second
days program of the inferno
tional air races.
1t was intended to show primarily
how in wartime dirigibles can trans
port planes. The plane is hooked on a
trapeze and may attach itself back on
again. At Langley field recently a plane
made contact with dirigible for three
minutes but it was not hooked on. The
dirigible let loose Of its freight at $500
feet. Nose diving for short distance,
the Sperry planes motors quickly could
be heard to hmm as IL straightened out
and sped away
lieutenant c. v. FSnter Of Langley
field flew the SperKy and lieutenant
Frank Mckee Of Scott field was the
pilot Of the TC-5.
Model Sets Record
Setting Of new worlds record for
model planes, the thrilling last minute
loss Of a race by Pilot Charles s.
("Casey") Jones of Garden City, N. r.
and competition between '.fliyvers" Of
the sky were the outstanding points on
today's program which was witnessed,
according to unofficial estimates, by a
crowd of between 26,OO0 and 10000;
automobiles parked on the field num-
'bered 24.000.
OF first interest was the race be-
tween the %Flying Bathtub" of Etienne
DOrmoy, technical engineer Of McCook
field, and j. NJ. johnson of the John
son Aircraft and Supply, Dayton, both
powered by motors of 1877 horsepower,
in the Dayton Daily News Light air
plane contest. johnson won, travelling
at an average speed of CAT miles an
hour. The 'Bathtubp went around the
25-mile course at the rate of SOL miles
an hour. DormOy's plane, constructed
by him, travels 30 miles ON a gallon of
gasoline. 1t has no fuaelage and the fuel
tank is up under the wing, there being
no other place for it. The chief object
Of the small plane race was to show
that progress is being made to develop
ships that viii carry more weight per
horsepower.
Robert v. Jaros Of the University of
Chicago, representing the Model Aero
Club of Illinois, is the holder of a new
world record for model .airplanes. In
competition for the Afulvihill trophy, his
model remained in the air for 10 min
utes IA 2-10 seconds. The best pre-
vious record, made in England, was SO
minutes. Jaros' tiny monoplane trav-
eled mile and half. First prize in
the Mulvihill race was $500.
Jones Won By so Seconds
Casey Jones, flying a Curtiss ORR
ole, was within 80 seconds of winning
the speed end Of the aviation Town and
Country club of Detroit trophy race and
a prize of $1,000. He took two $1,000
prizes yesterday. After he had aver
aged speed e 1923 miles on his sew
eIith lap. Jones plane was forced down
by engine trouble within so seconds
flying time of the home pylon. The
winner, Basil L. Rowe, Allaben, N. Y,
flying an SVA three-seater, maintained
an average speed of 1I45 miles an hour.
The other event on the program, the
Dayton Chamber Of Commerce trophy,
was. won by Lieutenant d. NJ. Meyers
OK Phillips field, whose speed was 1O9.95
miles an hour. This was for Martin
bombers, each carrying two S00-horse-
power Liberty motors. Interest tomor.
row is centering on the Pulitzer race
with the John L. Mitchell trophy race