Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-16
HUGE CROWD SEES
lair EVENT W|ND-UP
Army and Navy Flyers Share
/ Center of Stage at Los
Angeles Meet.
BY FREDERICK r. NELLY.
staff Correspondent Of The Star.

e@du correspondent OF Inc DtAt'
MINESFIELD, Los Angeles, Calf
September 1S.-The greatest crowd ever
recorded at an aeronautical entertain
ment passed through the gates OF
Minesfeld, this afternoon to see the
Army, Navy and Col. Charles A. Lind
bergh perform in the wind-up OF the
big show.
Commercial aviation, which failed to
take a leading role at any time during
the meet, made feeble bid for hon.
ors. but it was soon howled down by
the roaring engines of the service pilots
as they, highly skilled, drilled and
possessing superior equipment, bore the
brlnt of the work.
It is no secret among the service
officers here that they believe their
participation should not have been the
headline feature. The civilian and
commercial plane, rerespented by latest
Developments, and performances, should
have occupied the center of the stage,
but how could that be, when the public
clamored for thrills and spectacular
flights and the service pilots, as part OF
their everyday work, answered the cry
without much effort.
The Army Air Corps just about made
its final bow to the assemblage today,
although tomorrow's program has some
thing in it for the pilots. The Armys
share, the lions share today. started
with a formation of nine obsolete De
S.lo field then
race among the pilots of the 9lst OBJ
servation Squadron at Crissy Field,
San Francisco; formation by eight
planes from the second pursuit squad
ron at Rockwell Field; the Three
Musketeers,'' led by Col. Lindberg;
formation of primary training planes
from March Field, Riverside, Calf;
special exhibition of pursuit maneuvers
by three pilots of the first pursuit group,
Selfridge Field, Michigan, a demonstra-
ton of attack tactics by nine planes
from the third attack group at Calves
ton, Tex; participation in the para
chute jumping contest and finally,
mass formation of all types of Army
planes participating in the air races,
except the bombers, which are prepar-
ing for return East and now are
at San Diago.
Crash is Averted.
With the crash of Lieut.. George H.
Hassellnan, Navy f1ier, last Sunday
fresh in its mind, the public got a
genuine California kick" out of the
observation plane race as Lieut.. r. j.
Little wrapped around the home plyon
his lower left wing-tip seemingly swish
ing through the grass AS in the case
OF the Navy flyer, crash was expected
but it did not happen. Lieut.. Little few
q Douglass 0-2-H two-seater as did
all the other entrants, and all were
powered with the Liberty engine. AS
Lieut.. Little finished his race, the old
Liberty began to sputter, and he made
the field Just in time. Lieut.. F. H.
Barber won the. contest at an average
speed for the 100 miles of 127.49 miles
per hour.
An innovation in flying above the
heads of the assemblage was the ''Luf-
berry circle" of the eight planes of the
e5th Pursuit Squadron, while Col.
Lindbergh and Lieuts. I. A. Woodring
The pursuit ships, separated by about
80 feet and banked over for circle fly
ing, apparently chased each other
around "a huge circle, keeping 1t geo.
metrically perfect and producing a
mighty roar and vibration that set the
crowd wild The Three Musketeers"
had a new addition to their act in the
form of a diving attack from three di-
rections, eliminating at one point in
such a fashion that it looked like a
wholesale collision right in the center
Of the field.
The Nays three sea hawks" dashed
onto the stage in unique fashion.
Lieut. D. w. Tomlinson, leader of the
T<,-
which he flies off duty. This old craft
was seen Topping into the field. It
rolled up in front of the grandstand
close TO the three Boeing fighters,
which were waiting for their masters.
Out of the Jenny jumped the three
"hawks," and they rushed at full speed
for their ships. In a fash they were
of. Their sterling flying captivated the
crowd
Races" a heretofore very prosaic
event, were held for commercial aviation
and stirred up little interest. The
first was a free-for-all event open to
all types of planes with engines of $40
cubic inch displacement or less. 1t was
for SO miles and the first prize was
$1,000. Earl Rowland, who piloted his
Cessna nonoplane to first place in the
trans-continental class "A" race carried
away first honors with an average speed
Of lila miles per hour.
Free-for- All Race Held.
Then there was a free-for-al1 for
planes with engines of 900 horsepower
or less. This was won from the speed
standpoint by l.. A. Schoenair, IN
Buehle airsedan, at an average speed
of 1879 miles an hour.
The unlimited all-civilian contest for
the air transport speed and efficiency
trophy offered by the Detroit News,
caused more interest owing to the
presence of Art Goebel, VINO is Los
Angeles own favorite and famous avia-
tor. Art did not win, but Robert W..
Cantwell, flying a Lockheed Vega"
with Wasp" 425 horsepower engine,
the same type as Goebels except for
the paint, carried off honors for speed,
flying the 50-inile course at an average
speed of l4O.?0 miles per hour.
CantWell won praise for his fearless
turns, which usually are avoided. Goe-
bel was second, at 1878 miles per hour
Louis G. MeiSter, former Army pilot
was third In a Bull, special air sedan
at 1867 miles per hour, and Lee Scho'
enair, also in Bull, was fourth.
Then Col. Lindberg came across with
another surprise. AL Wilson, the dare
devil aviator, mas Deen nylnG dTouHe
here in an old 1910 model CurUlss push
er, a type of plane that seats the pilo
far out front, surrounded by nothing
but air on all Sides To the amaze
ment, surprise, glee and possibly horro
of various portions of the crowd, thu
Col. climbed aboard this ancient shil
and gave 'er the gun" He contentet
himself with flying absolutely level ant
chasing a formation of three pursui
ships. The colonel certainly had tn
spirit of the crowd and the occasion
His landing was perfect, and as was t
be expected, despite the police and sol
der guard, crowd dashed out on tn
field for him.
But a sedan also dashed out, drey
Up alongside and the hero of the al
meet was protected from the crowd.
BY o'clock, Pacific time, the GROVE