Evening star., 1926-10-18
SCHNEIDER TROPHY
AIR TEAM CHOSEN
Cuddlhy. Conant and SchiIt
Will Meet italians in
Norfolk Match.

The three naval aviators who will
represent the United States in the
decisive clash at Norfolk November
II. for the Schneider international
seaplane trophy against three crack
airmen from Italy were announced
today by the NAVY Department.. All
three are we'll known in Washington.
They are: Lieut.. George T. CuddihN
of the Naval Air Station a Anacostia;
Lieut.. Frank II. Cunant. ID. Bureau
of AeronautiCs. Navy Department;
and L.eut. G. =. Schil, of Brown
Field, Quanticn. Va.
These three outstanding ailmen in
naval aviation weIP selected from six
naval aviators who have been in prac-
tice at tho air station here for more
than a month. Licut. CUmdr. Homer
c. Wick. comma uding the air station,
and captain of the Schneider navy
racing team nominated the officers IT
the Navy Department this morning
and his recommendation was accepted
at once.
His choice followed a series of
grueling tests held at Hampton
Roads. Va. Friday. in which all can
didates for the distinguished places
were required tn get off the water
with the minimum of take-off and
cover the course in the least possible
time.
Selections Anticipated.
The selection of the Schneider team
did not come as a great surpriS" L.
aeronau iCal Washington. Although
Lieut. Cuddihy VAS not included IN
the original candidates, bur made
executive officer Of the squad his ul-
timate choice was really forecast be
cause of his wide knowledge ana tN-
perience with racing SeaplaneS. Lieut..
Cuddihy represented the United STATES
against Italy and Great Britain. lost
year at Baltimore nut was forced
down in the final stages Of the contest
when his engine caught fire. The r"e-
ViouS wear Lieut.. ruddihr W#S Sc
lected TO fly against Great I'rtAln
hut that CountrN'S plane "i'hSfot IN
a test flight and thorp was NO race.
The officer oyercamp a., aNldtlnn INK
that followed him for more 1han -Wo
years by winning the fref-for-all pur-
suit race at Philadelphia last north.
Lieut.. Schilt. nominated To succeed
Lieut.. Harmon J. Norton of the
Marines. who was killed off Hains
Point September l3. when the Navy
CurtiSS racing training plane crashed.
was assured of a place on tho team
because the Marine Corps has Nlgor-
OuelV requested that one of their mum
her he represented in the interna
tiona aviation contest Of 1926. Lieut.
Schilt has had much experiences with
speedy little pursuit planes which
goes long way toward fitting him I"
handle the powerful and highly sensi-
tive racing craft He is regarded as
one Of the best allar"und pilots in
the Marines.
Conant Experienced Racer.
With the exception uf Lieut.. Cud-
dihy. Lieut.. Conant has had more eX
perience with racing planes Than any
other member of the squad Of cOndi-
dates. Last year no had several hours
Of flying in tho race training ship
and since that time has done much
work in Navy pursuit planes. Be
fore coming 10 his post at the Bureau
of Aeronautjcs Lieut.. tunanj was y
member of a Sighting plane squadron
on the west coast Lieut.. Cuddihy
will hy n Navy Curtiss racer fitted
with a Packard engine. Lieut.. Con
ant will fly Il similar rlare equipped
with new high-powercd CUrtiss en-
gine, and Lieut.. Schilt Will tV The
Army plane in which Lieut.. James H.
Doolittle won the Schneider cup last
year ano which has been turned over
10 the Nevy for this event.
The plane VIII he fuWn without
any alterations over its condition last
year except that its black glossy coat
will he supplanted by navy blue All
three planes are sisters. having been
constructed AZ the same time for the
Pulitzer and Schneider events of
1925
Lieut.. c. c. Champions ir.. of the
engine section. Bureau Of Aeronatics.
has been designated alternate plot
for the Americans team. Comdr
Wick and the three !nc!nG pilots
will spend the next week or two at
the Philadelphia naval aircraft fac
tory and The Curtis, pEn; on Long
Island supervising The condtioninc
of the ships. Lieut.. Schilt will Gn
to the Long Island factory, where
the Army plane is ,ocAted Then. if
conditions permit. all three planes
viii be brought tu Washington prior
10 the Schneider race. If this is not
found feasible. they either will be
shipped or flown To Norfolk.