Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-02
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

were created by the Ohio demon
STATIONS and other training opera
tions. The single transport squad
ron which Is regarded as neces-
Sary to meet current needs will
serve as a nucleus for the forma-
ton of as many future transport
SquadronS as may be required for
emergency military operations.
The distribution of cargo planes
throughout the Air Corps, how
ever, is regarded as a rather in
efficient method of meeting the
demand for adequate transport
service. The present situation
makes it necessary to call upon
pilots of fighting planes to fly the
transport planes on many &C
caSions. The planes also must be
maintained and repaired by me-
chanicS trained for duty with the
fighting squadronS.
1t is believed that the establish
ment of a transport squadron,
with pilots and mechanics trained
especially for duty on the trans
port type of plane, not only would
prove more efficient but would re-
suit in more economical opera
ton of the big planes. The squad
ron probably would be centrally
located so as to be able to serve
Air Corps posts in all parts of the
country.
SuadrOns Hard Pressed.
The pursuit plane Squadrons
were hard pressed for air trans
port facilities during the maneuv-
erS, this type Of plane carrying
only pilots. When the 1St Pursuit
Group left Selfridge Field, Mount
Clemens, Mich, for two weeks
duty in Ohio in connection with
the maneuverS, it became neceS-
Sary to transport a sufficient force
of mechanics, riggerS and repair
men, together with their tools and
equipment, to keep the fast little
planes in condition for service
while away from their home field.
All of these men and supplies
had to be carried in transport
planes, six of which were assigned
to the 1St Pursuit Group. The
other cargo planes were diStri-
buted as follows: 18th Observa-
ton Squadron, Selfridge Field,
one; 10Th Observation Squadron,
Fort Riley, Kans, one; I'd Bomb
ardment Group, Langley Field,
Va, three; 95th Pursuit Squadron,
Rockwell Field, Calf, three; Sd
Attack Group, Fort Crockett, Gal
weston, Tex, two, and 9th Obser-
walton Squadron, Mitchell Field,
N. Y, three.
Several transport planes, which
were pressed into service for cargo
purposes during the Ohio war
games had been equipped and
were being used for experimntal
and training purposes. One, used
as radio plane, was assigned to
accompany the LB-7 lombard
ment plane piloted by Lieut.. Odas
Moon on the long distance bonn
bardment mission from Dayton,
Ohio, to New York. An old Doug
lass transport plane also accom-
panied the bomber as a refueling
plane.
Have Flying Classroom.
The Air Corps aerial navigation
school, conducted under direction
Of Lieut.. Albert Hagenberger at
Wilbur Wright Field, Dayton, uses
a Fokker transport plane as a fly
ing classroom for the training of
navigators. The Army Ford cargo
plane also was used by the school
during the graduation tour"
made by students at the school
last Spring.
The famous Question Mark,
which established the worlds re-
fueling endurance record of $50
hours last January-a record
which was broken last week-also
was a standard Army transport
plane of the Fokker CO type. An
other similar plane was used by
Lieut.. Lester J. Maitland and
Lieut.. Hegenberger for their flight
from the United States to the
Hawaiian Islands.