Evening star., 1928-02-28
Blimps Aid Search.

Blmps Aid Search.
The two TC blinps Of Langley Field
we're brought in on the search by Maj
Gen James f. Fechet. chief OF the Air
Corps, who sent the following telegram
10 the commanding officer OF the Army
base near Norfolk:
You are directed 70 use both b!mps
to search for lost Navy amph!bian.
Concentrate search OH west shore OF
Chesapeake Bay. IS miles inland and
make thorough search OF all inletS and
river mouths"
Mai. Howard c. Davidson. command
ing Boiling Field. this morning notl-
fed Lieut.. Comdr ID. c. Watson, act
ing conmandant OF the air station
that he was holding four observation
planes In readiness 10 assist III the
search II needed.
The hllmps offer the best opportunity
Of seeking out the missing planes, Il Is
held. owing 10 the fact that they can
fiy close to the tree tops. hover about
in one place as long as necessary ana
otherwise utilize the advantages OF
lighter than-air craft over the aiTplaue
in patrol work of this nature.
The search for information OF the
whereabouts OF the lost plane and Its
three passengers has brought 10 light
the fact that about two minutes after
the plane hopped of 1t was seen and
heard bv the keeper OF the Ihimhie
Shoals Lighthouse, that 40 minutes
later ii passed close to the PennSyl-
vanla Railroad tug Salisbury on The
middle ground between Old Point Com
fort and Cape Charles and that at b
Yesterday morning 1t was seen and
heard by J. A. Byrd, train dispatcher
for the Pennsylvania Railroad at Cape
Charles.
When seen from the Salisbury by
L. s Digs, member Of the crew, the
plane was flying not more than 10 feet
above the water and Was heading south.
From these reports. Comdr. A. { Read
of Hampton Roads Naval Air Station
and other officers directing THE search
today deductd that Lieut. Roger RanSc-
hauaen. who WAS plotting the amphihian.
lost his bearings shortly after taking OFT
aud CROPPED about lower Chesapeake Bay
for Is or 20 minutes before getting over
| the ship channel to Baltimore. which
nviatorS customarily follow III night
| flights up the bay.
Records of Flyers.
| Comdr. Elysou was born IN Richmond
/ III 1888 and appointed ~ the Naval
| Academy In 1901. In 1910 he Was
ordered 10 Los Angeles FOR instruction
| IN flying and was. therefore the first
| officer Of the Navy IL qtialiIy ns an
| atrplanc pilot. Later. Comdr. EliySon
enlarged upon his tlying career by con-
| ducting experiments with catapultS
| aboard ship and WAS the first nava!
| officer In he launched into the air by
such device
| Comdr. EliySon'S other duties have
| included the post OF executive oiiitrr ot
| the Naval Air Station, Hampton Roads,
member OF the United States Naval
| Mission III nrasil from 1922 to 1925 and
executive officer OF the u, s. s., Wright,
| flagship vi the aircraft SQuadrrns
| scouting fleet.
Lieut. Comdr Schmidt WAS born In
, flttshnrgh, PA. in lsao and was ap-
pointed to the Naval Aradtmy IN l0la
lie received his wings AT the Naval Air
station, Pensacola, In 1920 and later
pursued post graduate rourSt. III alro.
nautical engineering at the Massnrhu-
Artts Institute ot Technology tipou
completion ~ this course he was ns~
signed ta duty Ia The nuttau Ut Aero
hau'irs ahd In lo33 went 10 the air
craft SquadronH battle fleet, based ut
san Diego, In June W last year, hc
VAS ordered Ia duty with the 4 S =
Lexington Ills homc II III nroaANn
Lieut. RanSrhountu. The NounsrAt nr
the three missing nitnicu. was born IN
Springfield Witch he claims IN his
hnme, In iaon and was appointed tu
the Naval Aea,tcmy In 1919. tie was at
tachrd 10 the Naval Air station. rruaa-
cola, tor nting training III lu2a tgom
which liz WAS graduated After aerSire
With the fleet air branches, he was de-
tailed FOR duty With the lexington.