Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-13
.L|NDBERGH STUNTS
At 3OI)-NIIlE SPEED
Volunteers to Lead Army
"NlusKeteers' in Spectacu-
lar Maneuvers.
By FREDERICK r. NEELY.
StafT CORRESPONDENT of The Star.


MINES FIELD. LOS ANGELES, Sep
tember l3,-The magic name and per-
son of Col Charles A. Lindbergh have
come to the rescue of the Army Air
Corps prestige in the 1928 national air
races and aeronautical exposition.
From now until the end of the meet
Col Lindbergh daily will lead a stunt
formation of speedy Army pursuit planes
over the field and, in the opinion of
Army pilots here, for the first time since
the great aerorautical affair opened, the
Air Corps stands chance of getting an
even break with the Navy from the
crowds
Up until Col Lindbergh voluntarily
offered his services to the Air Corps
in any capacity whatever the Army
was running a poor third from the
standpoint of public enthusiasm. Be-
cause there was something of the flash
and spectacular lacking in the Arnny's
flying. the word rivalry" could not be
thought of for moment because 1t
didn't eHist.
Rivalry Between Services.
Now there appears TO be rivalry. on
the Navy side are the brilliant three
sea hawks'-Lieuts. D. w. Tomlinson.
A. P. Storrs and W. V. Davis-the boys
who loop simultaneously in "" for
nation at a low altitude over the field
and perform various other hair-ralSlng
evolutoins in their powerful single
scatter fighting planes.
On the Army side are the three
musketeers." whose original leader,
Lieut.. j. j. Williams, was fatally in
jured in a crash two days ago while
coming out of a slow barrel roll close
to the ground. In Lieut.. Williams
place, and at the head of the Army
formation of three Curtiss Hawks, is
airman. Col. Lindbergh. In No. 2 posi-
ton. to the right and rear of Col. Lind
bergh is Lieut. w l.. Cornelius and in
No. position is Lieut.. Irwin A. Wood
ring. =.
These latter two are mere boys, Ut
tie second lieutenants who were grad
uated from the Armys training system
in 1925 along with Col. Lindbergh. Cor
nelius and Woodring, despite their
youth. are rated high in the list of the
Army's pilots from the standpoint OF
pursuit pilots.
Like a bolt out of the blue yesterday
afternoon came the announcement that
Col Liudbergh would lead the three
plane formation of Army Boelng plir-
suit ships then warming up on TIE
field. Interest in everything els@
ceased. All eyes went in that direction.
Sure enough, the profile. of the colonel
was easily distinguishable and his tall
figure perched him higher in the cock
pit than the other two His plane bore
a large number "l3,"
Leads Chase Around Heavens.
Col. Lindbergh had knocked the dope
into a cooked hat again. What sort o.
person was this who could walk up
to the Army, humbly beg permission TO
fly an Army plane and end up by Lead
ing Woodring and Cornelius for a chase
around the heavens? Flying a pursuit
ship is like stepping from the conven-
| tional automobile and getting into one
of Ralph De Palna's speedsters 1or y
tour around race course.
Woodring had flown in stunt lorna
ton with Lindbergh before, nut Cor
nelius had not. The fact that Lindbergh
was the leader made it easier for the
| other two to follow and easier for Lind
! berch to lead. The three had neve:
been aloft before for this type OF ma
ncuver What would happen?
The three planes took a "V' shape
on the ground When all was ready.
! Iindbergh opened the throttle and
Cornelius and Woodring followed SUIT.
They rose off the ground together
gained altitude and, 10 and behold.
! from 5000 feet Lindbergh was LEADING
/ the formation in steep dive at 800
miles an hour right for the 2randstand.
! MANY an admirer of the tall, fair. col
! onel suffered during those moments as
/ the three ships plunged earthward. -.
/ But the cool Lindbergh knew what 1t
was all about Slowly he decreased the
angle of the dive and at so feet above
the ground he and his companions had
! f1attened out and were off into a
mighty zoom. A deafening. chilling ana
/ vibrating blast emitted from the en-.
gines as the three began their upward
climb. A glance aloft and it was more
than a climb, it was climbing turn.
Lindbergh was leading beautifully but
those two kids to the left and rlght
were folio wing as dutifully as though II
Continued on Page S, Column 81