Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-05
TRYING OBSTACLES ARE FACED
IN STAGING AIRPLANE PARADE
Impressions of Men Who Took Part in
Inaugural Air Pageant Are Given
by Participant.

Field was left behind in the haze. Be-
low the left wing three-plane forma-
ton, the second Army group, appeared
in a long circling curve through the
mist, disappearing moment later.
Above and to the right another v, led
by the red-streamered plane. shot out OF
the mist.
Our formation leader banked steeply
in circle to the left and Capt. Gallo
way, on the outside of the turn, opened
his throttle and lowered the nose to pick
up speed and keep formation. AS the
earth whirled around below speedy
silver and black Navy plane, in a
vertical bank, curved into sight less
than 200 feet below and then we nat
tened out, the earth whirled back to its
customary place, and the formation was
headed North toward the Capitol, in
visible through the rain and mist five
miles away.
Of to the right another three-plane
formation could be seen dinly through
the fog, also headed toward the Capitol.
Whether 1t was Gen. FouloiS or the
second Army formation could not be
determined. Boiling Field swan back
into view through the wet. AS we passed
overhead the last of the Navy planes
could be seen taking off l 900 feet below.
Behind the cowling the bowling wind
was stilled and the rain ceased to bite,
but from this point of comfort little
could be seen. Up, then to peer over
the side, wiping off the goggles with
cheesecloth every minute or so and
pulling at a helmet strap which, al
though uncomfortably tight on the
ground, now was ballooned out by wind
forced under the edges.
Leader Throttles Down.
Fifty feet below and just off the left
Wing-tip, our squadron leader throttled
down and Capt Galloway was forced
to nose up a. little to keep his relative
position. The third plane in orr for
nation was off to the left and behind
Off to the right was No. formation
with No. off in the fog somewhere
ahead Behind could be seen a few
dim shapes, which must have been the
first Navy squadron.
The navy yard, with buff and white
Coast Guard cutters tied up at the
wharves, passed below and the Capitol
appeared. Back into the cockpit to
wipe off the goggles. Out again to look
around. The formations were all in
position as the Capitol dome passed by
yellow covered the plaza, the bare pine
dark patches which were people. The
cheese cloth once more, and a column Of
gray-clad troops could be seen swing
ing around Peace Monument.
Another glance around to locate the
other planes-a grudging glance,
but long enough to miss quarter of
the ground parade creeping along Penn
sylvania avenue like malformed beads
on string. The National Museum
swept by beneath. Another glance
over our own formation, a hasty swipe
with the cheesecloth, and we were over
the Treasury Department and swinging
slightly to the right. The White House
with blurred patches of stands visible
through the overhanging trees-the first
inaugural air review had passed into
history, so far as We were concerned.
Almost Immediately the formation
ahead broke up, one plane sliding off in
long glide to the left. Then violent
sinking sensation at the pit of the
stomach and the dark earth ahead
dropped abruptly out of sight as Capt.
Galloway "gunned' the plane into a
steep climb. Up into the gray mist and
driving rain we climbed and the air
speed indicator on the instrument panel
dropped from 100 to go, to 80 and
finally to so. We slid out of the climb
to the left, the earth shot up darby
around the whole left wing and we
dropped away in steep glide down the
Potomac toward Boiling Field. The air
speed indicator climbed back again past
100 and on past 100 miles per hour
East Potomac Park and the War
College, all tilted at the most peculiar
angles, slid off below to the rear.
On Boiling Field a half dozen ships
already were back on the line and one
was clearing the field as Capt. Gallo
way dropped in, seeking the firmest
place to land-a long grassy strip near
the river side of the field. We landed
amid the customary shower of mud and
water and plowed heavy burrows through
the muck to the Army side.
AS Capt. Galloway cut the switch and
the motor stopped We saw above the
Capitol the long silver-gray hulk Of
the Los Angeles, followed by a brood
of baby blimps, shouldering aside the
clouds as she headed for the reviewing
stand. The last of the Army planes
landed and a few moments later the
Navy squadron were down.
In the face of heavy obstacles the
Army and Navy flyers had paid their
first tribute to their new commander.