The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-05-26
CAPTAIN PAGE
WINS AIR RACE
CONTINUED from Page One)


us who were sponsoring the meet" Mai.
w. V. M. Robertson, commanding Of
ficer of the local squadron, said Sun
day. I'VE had invited these men to
come here and participate in the event
and held ourselves responsible for their
treatment while here
I'VE had our plans all made to an
nounce that the air meet would again
be staged in Birmingham next year,
but after the marked lack of hospitality
accorded the visitors by that group of
spectators we hardly feel justified in
asking them to return"
Sunday Program
Attended by the same fair weather
that has marked the meet since its
opening Saturday afternoon, Sundays
events all went off smoothly. Not a
single accident marred the program and
the air carnival. said to be one of the
largest ever held in this section of the
country, was brought to successful
close.
Sundays program started with a
great send-off when % planes, in mass
formation, swept over Birmingham.
They were led by Major Brown, in a
Martin bomber. Exhibiting the various
formations used in actual warfare and
sANAhS WIN NuNh OlhCl IOE nigh
in. the formations, members of the Ala
bama and Tennessee national guard
units staged competitive formation in
Curtiss planes.
There were thrills aplenty for the
large crowd attending the meet during
all the afternoons stunts. In a flight
showing high grade of maneuvering
skill, pilots destroyed a group of pilot
balloons. These balloons were only one
and one-half feet in diameter and rise
at the rate of 100 feet per minute, with
lateral velocity equal to that of the
wind. Ssplendid craftsmanship and
skill in maeuvering were necessary to
send down these balloons.
More thrills were given in the para
chute drops and leaps, of which three
were on the program Sunday. The first
of these was a double drop, made from
Douglass cruiser, Of special type
such as is used in round the world
trips. 1t was brought to Roberts field
from Dayton, O., and is specially
equipped for parachute work.
Parachute Leap
A double parachute leap from a De-
Haviland plane from Rantoul, ILL.,, was
106th Observation squadron (Birming-
of the afternoon.
One of the most exciting events of the
afternoon was the aerial combat ex-
hibition that was staged by Lieuten-
ants Grooch and Hassellman of the
Pensacola station. They went through
all the maneuvers of an actual air bat
tie between planes of opposing forces,
and in addition performed all the known
stunts in flying.
A feature intended to show clearly
the tremendous value of air forces dur
ing actual warfare was staged. With
the ''enemy's" position fortified Just
west of aEst Thomas furnace and the
contact planes revealing a battery en-
placement and fort on thenorthern ex-
tremity of Roberts field, the public was
treated to an actual demonstration of
the manner in which planes corrected
artillery fire over the German lines dur
ing the World war.
Fort Destroyed
Members of the Birmingham squadron
adjusted the fire from Battery A, To-
Gated one-Quarter mile west of Birming-
ham-Southern college, by wireless in
such a manner as to destroy the fort
The battery commanders post was To-
Gated directly in front of the audience
and complete details of the wireless
signals that flashed between the bat
terry commander and the observation
planes we're given.
all. There was light, chilling wind