Evening star., 1925-10-27
ARMY PILOT FIYS 232 MILES
AN HOUR, WINNING CUP RACE
Lieut.. DoOlittle Breaks All
Records for World
Seaplane Event.
Airman's hdroit Turns
Cut Huge Distance
From Flight.
BY FREDERICK r.. NEELY.


assuming Army pilot. who invaded
for the first time the Navy's special
field of aviation, today is undisputed
king of seaplane speed throughout
the world. and holders of all sea-
plane records for fast flying, whether
1t be for short straightaway dashes
VI closed course performances. have
abdicated In favor of Lieut.. James
II. Doolittle of McCook Field, Day
ton, Ohio.
While the torpedo like black and
gold Army racer vas roaring around
a 30-mile triangular course in Chesa-
peake Bay yesterday afternoon, the
mailed fist of fate, which has follow
ed naval aviation projects, since the
dawn of tho present calendar year,
struck down two of the sea services
outstanding pilots and forced them
to battle for their lives over and on
the turbulent waters. This same fate
was kind to hte foreign visitors. who,
after many misfortunes, finally got
one plane apiece in the race and
finished second and third.
Event Unparalleled.
History was created in profound
and far-reaChing terms at Bay Shore
Park. Md. a few miles below Balti-
more, yesterday afternoon. where the
international contest for the jacques
Schneider Cup was held, and to the
little band of Baltimore aviation en-
thusiasts who constitute the Balti-
more Flying Club. the promoters Of
the race. goes the honor of sponsor
Ing the greatest aeronautical event
ever held, not only in America but
the world.
The United States, thanks to Lieut.
Doolittle, now has two legs" on the
Schneider trophy and one more VIC
tory will give this country perma-
nent possession. Had the Navy last
year declared IA "fy-over" when for
eign entrants thruogh loss of their
racing planes, failed to appear, the
trophy today would have been per-
manent American possession. But
the Nays spirit of sportsmanship
adopted the other course. with the
result that foreign nations have put
1t down as the finest example of in
ternational competition ever wit
messed.
Wins Navy Acclaim.
Lieut.. Dootlittle and his Army Cur
tiss racer established the astounding
speed for seaplaneS of 232.572 miles
per hour for q o10-mile course. over
shadowing this record, however, was
the manner In which the race was
flown. Naval officers, many of whom
stand high In the opinion of their
colleagues as splendid seaplane pilots.
pronounced his flying as the most
beautiful they ever saw. He placed
that roaring racer on the course at
the start, never yeered an inch TO
the right or left and sat there for
the 210 miles as though the plane
was running on tracks.
His control OF the ship, n most
difficult craft to maneuver, for the
slightest touch of the controls brings
an immediate and marked response,
thrilled the spectators at the Bay
Shore pierhead beyond their control.
From the first lap on, when Lieut..
Doolittle approached the home pylon
and made an acute angle turn by
lying over on one wing. II was
Jimmie" to the audience for the re-
mainder Of the afternoon. On the
first turn at the home pylon the
Army pilot went n little wide, but
on the remaining six rounding points
he few what appeared to be about
10 feet above the pier-they saw him
coming and he was gone.
Throughout the race the new Cur.
tiss V.1400 motor OF 600 horsepower
never missed a beat. nor did the pro-
peller miss revolution. When the
plane landed 1t was as clean as
though 1t never had left the hangar.
As he made the final lap, Lieut.. Doc
little flashed over the pier and the
finish line and shot straight up into
the sky. He played around" up there
for awhile. and landed. The crowd
forgot about the others and rushed to
the rails to see him. A surface boat
IL. v>1
up and down the water in front OF the
pier, while Jimmie sat on the lower
wing and modestly acknowledged the
plaudits of the crowd. Ten minutes
after he was on the ground again and
had disposed Of the flood OF con-
gratulations he was seen walking
about the restricted hangar area with
the unconcern of a spectator who
didn't know what it was all about.
Patrick Praises Flyer.
Among those TO congratulate hin,
was his chief, Maj. Gen. Mason NJ.
Patrick. who beamed upon the little
fyer with the pride of a father. But
| not even the major general could get
! Jimmie to become loquacious. Appar-
entity the winner placed less value and
importance on his flying than all the
witnesses of the feat.
| After Doolittle zoomed the flnisn
| iine and the excitement died down. II
was discovered that Lieut.. George L,
Cuddihy of the naval air station at
| Anacostia and Lieut.. Ralph A. Ofstie
| Of the Bureau of Aeronautics, pilots
| Of planes supposed to be Identical with
Doolittles, had not been heard from
Concern and apprehension Tor their
safety was felt, owing to the dlfflculty
Of handling the high-speed ships on
making landings and also In maneu
vering them on the water. Speed
boats were dispatched hither and yon
and finally one returned with Lieut.
Cuddihy in tow. Lieut.. Ofstie, riding
at the end of line and another motor
boat, was brought in at dark.
| These two pilots, however, had eX
periences of which few persons learn
ed. Lieut.. Cuddihy on his seventh
| lap reached the climax OF trouble
that had been brewing In his beau
! tiful blue racer almost since the start
IA Duff of black smoke and dust flew
back in my face just as l reached
the third pylon," he told the writer
After I made the turn the revolu'
tions dropped, the oil temperatures
went way above normal and the pres
sure dropped She was splitting smoke
and oil, and, regardless of what the
instruments read, decided to get
down while I was healthy.
Motor Catches Fire.
| Just as I landed the motor caught
| fire. Flames leaped out of the In
| take manifold and 1 began fighting
them with a cushion wedged between
me and the side Of the ship and a
i IL 1.o