Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-10
LIEUT.. WILLIAMS
ASKED SEA DUTY,
INGALLS, TEST|F|ES
Navy Spent More Than Pri-
vate Company on Mercury
Plane, Senators Told.

The Navy Department not only sup
ported Lieut.. Afford j. Williams, jr., in
his racing plane program, but has gone
so far as to set aside $4,000 to in
vestigate the entire racing situation and
determine what part of the Navy should
play In the future, David 8. ingalls,, As
sistant Secretary of the Navy for Aero
nautics, today told subcommittee Of
the Senate committee on Navy affairs.
Lieut.. Williams was ordered to sea
duty at his own request, Mr.. ingalls,
said. He produced two letters which he
said were written oy Lieut.. Williams,
one last October, asking that he be sent
to sea.
The Navy not only offered Lieut.. Will
liams every possible cooperation in the
development of his Mercury racing
plane. but actually spent more money
on the plane than the private company
organized by Lieut.. Williams to finance
the project, Mr.. ingalls, said.
Spent 100000 on Engine.
This private company is said to have
contributed approximately $50 900 toward
construction Of the plane" Mr.. ingalls,
told the committee. THE Navy De-
partment spent approximately $lO4 900
to develop the engine used IN tnat
plane and $4,000 in the designing and
construction Of pontoons,. etc. SO
that the support from that end was
almost twice that OF the private CON-
pany."
The Navy also contributed all of the
personnel to handle the project and
gave williams practically unlimited OPP
portunity to carry on the work, he
testified. VIRTUALLY the only duties to
which williams was assigned was to
dy at aviation meets and competitions"
ingalls, declared.
Lieut.. williams in IL years of naval
service never has had any sea duty
and aside from four months IN 1921
has had no duty with fighting unit:
although such service is required OF
every naval aviator" the secretary said.
The order sending Lieut.. Williams to
sea which resulted in his resignation
last month was issued last month only
after the Navy Department was thor
ouehly convinced that Lieut.. Williams
project with the Mercury racer was
completed, Mr.. ingalls, testified.
Says Backers Gave UP Hope.
ingalls, said that he went to Philadel-
pl1ia personally to see whether anything
further could be done with the plane.
He said he talked to engineers and to
Williams hackers and was told there
was no hope the project could be carried
on any further.
Williams plan to take the plane to
England for the Schneider races last
Fall and to wreck it deliberately to con-
ceal the fact that it would not ny was
branded by Secretary ingalls, as "a re-
diculous proposition" He said he could
not approve any such romantic prof.
ect" and that Williams hackers were not
In favor of the move.
IT talked to Lieut.. williams and. told
him the thing for: him to do was to 60
to sea until the Navy program on racing
could be framed and that he then prob
ably would be called back Mr.. ingalls,
said.
There was no dissenting voice from
any Of the naval chiefs to the issuance
of the order sending Lieut.. williams to
sea, Mr.. ingalls, declared.
Mr.. ingalls, replied to Lieut.. Will
liams' charges that the officers Of the
Philadelphia Naval Aircraft factory
had built the racing plane $50 pounds
overweight by placing the blame on
Williams shoulders. Williams, he said,
was in charge Of the project and alone
was responsible.
American military planes in general
are equal to any fighting planes In the
world, ingalls, told the committee. He
said he feels that racing planes are Of
great value to the Navy and that les
sons learned from them may be APP
piled to future military and commercial
construction.