The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-08-13
SOVIET UNION
PREP ARES BIC
AERIAL FLEET
Farmers Aided by Rus
sian Planes
BY ROBERT CLAN.
Especial TO The Daily Worker)

Every year about the middle of July
huge crowds gather at Trotzky air.
drome here to witness the festival of
the Red Aviation and Chemistry.
This year a particularly elaborate
program was arranged.
Planes Ready to Fly.
AS we entered the field we saw an
imposing array of flying machines,
lined up ready for fight. Most of
them were all-steel biplanes, built ex-
clusively at the Soviet shops and
equipped with Soviet motors.
The center of attraction is a huge
twin-screw bomber, towering over a
flock of "one-seaters," like a hen over
her brood.
This steel bird is promising Gag
let; it has already broken few world
records.
Several motor trucks stationed
along the line furnish convenient plat
forms for speakers.
A familiar tall figure mounts the
central truck admist a storm of well
coming shouts. 1t is Comrade Rykov.
"AvIachim."
I shall speak to you today not as
the head of the Soviet government,
but as one Of the members of the
"Aviachim" (Friends of the Red Avia-
ton and Chemistry, announces Com
rade Rykov, and proceeds to review
the achievements of "Aviachim" dur
ing the four years Of its existence.
Today "Aviachim" counts over three
million members. 1t has done tremen-
dous work in popularizing aviation
and chemistry among the Russian
workers and peasants. 1t has brought
home to the toiling masses not only
the Importance Of avio-chemical de-
Tense in war time, but also the inval-
liable services rendered by combined
forces of aviation and chemistry in
peaceful pursuits.
Aid Farmers.
Tribesmen of Caucasus, who never
left their native hamlets, have learned
to depend on the winged machines to
protect their fields from locusts.
Fishermen and hunters OF the White
Sea have often benefited by the aid Of
airplanes in locating shoals Of fish and
seals. 14t
Forest guards of Siberia found in
"Aviachim" a powerful ally against
forest fires.
Propaganda Planes.
Several propaganda planes" always
tour the remotest corners of the So
Wet Union, distributing leaflets and
spreading knowledge about manifold
uses of aviation and chemistry.
Comrade Rykov's speech is followed
by few very brief greetings from
the workers and peasants delegates.
The crowd is eager to see the spec
tacular party Of the festival.
Aerial Stunts.
Squads of airplanes, piloted by crack
red flyers, take the air and delight
the crowd by daring aerial stunts.
Some machines, however, keep on
even keel, flying in wide circles. These
planes carry the fortunates ones, who
were elected by various locals of
"Aviachim" to be given a rare treat
of flight over Moscow. Thousands
of workers and peasants get such an
aerial initiation every year.
One by one the steel birds come
down. The crowd presses closer to
the rope barriers. The field is being
prepared for a demonstration of chem
zeal warfare.
Stage Gas Attack.
Squads of soldiers scatter in the tai
grass. Rife shots rattle thru the hot
dry air The blues" open an attach
against the REDS"
The enemy" masks his movements
by dense cloud of black smoke. Thu
quivering wall of gas rolls nearer anf
nearer to the red entertainments
Rife fire slackens and gives place t.
ominous silence. nH
Suddenly a tongue Of fame, ovel
one hundred feet long, shoots forward
from the red entertainments. Then q
few more, dozen more, and soon
the whole rcd front presents an i'm
passable barrier OF liquid fire. The
smoke screen waivers. Enemy corpses
litter the ground-the attack on the
red stronghold is repealed.
The counter-attack begins. Red air
planes shower gas bombs on the re-
treating Blues" The deadly" bombs
are filled with sweet-smelling brown
gas.
This is the last act OF the battle
The crowds begin to surge homeward,
eagerly discussing the pageant. Girls