The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-12-03
/ - AVIATION -
CHICAGO SHOW
I PROVES Great
AIR PROGRESS
Amazing Display Greets
Thousands of Guests
at Exposition.
BY TIMES AVIATION EDITOR

DL AAN1EO AN1A11ON EOlIOh
Rapid development of aviation in
the last year or two from the
strictly utilitarian airplane of yes
terday, to the comfortable, even
luxurious model of today is being
demonstrated at the International
Aeronautical Exposition in Chicago
this week.
The great air show, with more
than eighty planes of all sizes,
types and prices packed into the
Chicago coliseum and two adjoining
buildings, affords an interesting
comparison of huge, many passenger
transport planes with tiny, gnat-like
one and two-passenger 0ort planes,
Twenty-Five airplane -1gineS, and
about $50 exhibits of airplane &C
ceSsories, ranging from carburetorS
and instruments, to model airportS
and electrically heated aviatorS'
clothing, are on display.
Luxury in Biplane
An example of luxury of some of
the newer planes is seen in the lat
est model of the Stearman biplane,
which in addition to chrome or
nickel-plated struts and other parts
carries a vanity case in the front
passenger cockpit.
Most of the cabin models are
1uXuriouSly upholstered, interiors
carrying out the idea of stylish mo-
tor cars, even to dome lights and
flower vases.
The manufacturers apparently
have gotten away from the old pur-
pose of building planes strictly for
their usefulness, regardless of dis
comfort.
Influence of the automobile in
dustry is seen even in the eXteriors.
In place of being decorated in the
olive drab and plain, uninteresting
colors of the past, they now Aaunt
beautiful, ye-pleasing combinations
more striking even than those of
expensive sport automobiles.
Ford Ship Is Largest
The largest ship in the show is a
giant Stout-Ford tri-motored mono
plane exhibited by the Transcon-
tinental Air Transport, built es-
pecially as a flying Office for Lind
bergh.
1t towers above even the ordinary
huge Ford twelve to fourteen pas
senger transport plane. It's ca
pacious cabin contains a complete
office" with two desks and type
writer, and sleeping compartment.
Its Widespread is seventy eight feet
and it is powered by three Wasp
420-horsepower engines. The plane
sells for $4,000.
In striking comparison is the
Heath "Parasol," with twenty-five
feet wingspear and an adapted
twenty five-horsepower motorcycle
engine, costing but $3.50.
Interesting to the residents of in
land cities was the display of sea-
planes, including several "amphi-
bians," equipped with both landing
wheels and pontoons, the wheels
drawing up into the pontoons for
4anding on the water.
One of these is the SikorSky
Amphibian, which resembles a lux
,rious all-metal yacht, with wings
and two powerful engines attached
above. 1t carries a crew of two and
nine passengers at a speed of 125
miles an hour.
Amphibian Like Yacht
The Fokker Amphibian, also with
an all-metal hull, has a single wing
across its luxurious "yacht-like"
cabin-pontoon, with single,
puSher-type Wasp engine, resem-
bling a large fish with fins out
spread.
The new Boeing flying boat,
Single-motored biplane, has cabin
pontoon of ash and spruce, mahog-
any covered.
Skeleton models Of huge Martin
bomber and the Pitcairn super
mailwing biplane afford spectators
a view of whats under the paint
and canvas"
In the exhibit, towering above the
smaller models like a mountain over
molehill, was a giant keystone
Pirate army bomber, powered with
two Liberty 420-horse power en-
gines, carrying crew of five men,
five machine guns and ton of
bombs.