Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-02-20
5000 See AIR
THRILLS NEAR
HERE SUNDAY
Army Pilot, Mauldin,
Shorty Radack Pro-
vide Heart kips in
Many Forms

The ambulance went back to town,
empty.
Such was the success Of the fly
Ing circus held Sunday afternoon IN
DER the auspices of the American
Legion and the Border Always. APP
proximately 5000 thrill-hungry per-
sons were on hand for the event,
which was held in an open field,
about six miles north of Browns
vile, and approximately half way be-
tween the Border highway and High
way No. IL. The hunger of most
was satisfied, long before the show
had been climaxcd by Shorty Rad
aek's safe without q safety de-
vice" stunt of dismounting from a
speeding ship.
Kahn. which had caused a post
ponement Of the show a week ago,
pi4yea havoc with the program Sun
day. Only one Of the many visit
Ing planes scheduled to come from
points outside the Valley was able
to beat its way through the many
rain belts in the southern edge OF
the state and reach the field.
Army Plane Shows
This one, however, a high-powercd
curtis pursuit plane, Of the latest
type and capable of attaining a speed
OF $50 miles an hour, provided
enough thrills in two exhibitions 10
satisfy the coldest-blooded spectators
In the audience.
The little ship zoomed in from
the north an hour after the show
was scheduled TO begin and lifted the
crowds hair by : series Of stunts,
including upside-down flying, every
Ennmu uarfrfv 80 1c1n .nl tnrp and
darting directly at the crowd re-
peatedly.
Lieut.. Y. II. "Buck" Taylor. per-
sonal friend of Les Mauldin. was the
pilot, and was the only one Of three
ships that started with him to beat
his way through. One was forced
back at the take-off, while the sec
ond was pushed to the ground at
Rio Grande. Capt. Taylor said he
had been compelled TO fly through
three hard wind and rain storms to
reach Brownsville.
One plane, a Ryan five-passenger
brougham, containing newspaper men
from Houston and an official of the
Notrus corporation, Of that city, got
rs far down as Harrington. before
being beaten by the hi0h wind.
Those in the party were Major Ber-
nard A. Law, owner; Capt. Fred Will
bur, Of the Houston Chronicle;
Steve Johnson, of the Houston Post;
and Daniel Loeb.
Major Law came TO the field at
noon Sunday, and returned to Harlin-
gen, intending to fly back, but the
high wind probably prevented his
getting off the small field at that
place.
Many Stunts Pulled
Despite these handicaps, most OF
the scheduled stunts were pulled.
w. r. Ray Of Harlingen provided
thrills by his balloon-breaking
efforts, none of which were crown
ed with success; while Les Mauldin,
local pilot. and Radack with their
many and varied stunts, kept the in
tercst keen all during the event.
The two big thrills of the day
probably were MaCldin's dead stick
landing and the parachute drop.
Both anne at the windiest hour OF
the afternoon, and both seemed to
carry enough loaded death to bring
heart-skips to everyone.
In the parachute drop Radack
pulled one side of his chute inward
in order to drop on the field. and
the wind got in the bag. threaten
ing each instant to blow il inside
out.
The descent was made safely. how
ever. although the stuntman was AR
ried many feet beyond the edge Of
the flying field.
The wind was also at its height
when Mauldin climed to 5000 feet
and killed his engine. He dropped a
few hundred feet. and went into a
tail sp n. and coming out of that diA
side-slsps most Of the way TO the
ground, coming down, light as a
feather. with his propeller hanging
lifeless on the front Of the plane.
Radack's act of leaving the plane
without a parachute was the last
number. and the descent was made
via a rope ladder. He hung by his
hands while the plane. with speed
retarded to the fullest extent, flew
low over the field. As his heels
came TO earth. the airman loosed his
hold and came 10 rest on the ground,
rolling over n few times.
Just before the show started IN
ambulance appeared on the field and
n way was cleared for its exit in