Evening star., 1930-12-14


est air force yet assembled in
Al this country when the Army
Air Corps holds its Spring ma
neuverS next May.
Approximately 500 Army combat and
auxiliary planes Of all types will be con-
centrated from all parts of the United
States TO determine the ability Of the
Air Corps to meet a major coast de-
fense emergency. The entire northern
section of the Atlantic seaboard will be
involved in the simulated warfare.
Tactical problems will involve flying
over a territory covering more than
100,0 900 square miles in almost a dozen
States. This. it is said, is the first time
in the history of American military
aviation in peace times that so large an
operation or concentration has been or
dered
The territory over which tactical and
other military air problems will be con-
Quoted extends roughly from Norfolk,
Va, to Boston and as far west as Buff
falo, N Y, and Pittsburgh The eXer-
cises not only will be a thorough-going
test of the Nations air defense, but
also of the military usefulness of scores
of non-military airportS within the zone
of operations.
Though Spring maneuverS were held
by the Air Corps last Spring and in the
Spring of 1929, these will be the largest
and most important ever held and will
be the first east of the Alleghenies.
The field exercises are to serve a
three-fold purpose, the War Depart
ment has announced. They will permit
training and operation of large num-
Der Of units; unit combat training. and
the working out under actual combat
conditions OF supply, ground and staff
problems.
All SquadrOns Engaged.
All tactical squadrons in the United
States from North, South and West will
be summoned to serve in the mimic air
war. In addition, it is likely, the Vari-
GUS National Guard Squadrons, one in
each National Guard divisional area,
will be represented. A large number of
Air Corps reserve officers will be called
to active duty for the duration of the
war" including a number of distin-
guished flyers no longer in the military
service, who may take refreshed cour-
age and participate actively in the
maneuverS.
The tentative program calls for con-
centration of all units during the latter
part of May and for the creation of a
great combat unit to be known as the
First Air Division, under command Of
Brig Gen. Benjamin D. Foulois, assist
ant chief of the Air Corps
The division will consist of a head
a
bombaroment group of about 40 planes;
TOUR observation groups, totaling about
135 planes to which will be added an
unknown number of participating Ma
tional Guard observation units and one
attack group Of about so planes In ad-
0ltlon there will be a number of mis-
ceIlaneous aircraft such as radio, photo
graphic and ambulance planes.
According to the present plans. which
nave not been approved finally and
winch are subject to change, the air
division will assemble at Fairfield Air
Depot, near Dayton, Ohio, scene of the
nrst Spring maEeuvers two years ago,
1or preliminary training in large scale
joint activities Fairfield is adjacent tn
the Air Corps Material Division and
chief test station at Wright Field.
from Fairfield the entire division
VIII go TO New York. probably by wav
oi the National Capital, Baltimore and
FnlIadelphla, and will be distributed in
Lhe metropolitan area to work out the
various tactical problems to be solved
tnere. The sector Of operation will
emnrace most Of New York, Pennsyl-
Vanla, New Jersey and Delaware.
Final Phase to Be Local.
The next phase of the field operations
VIII cover Massachusetts, Connecticut
and Rhode Island, while the third and
ma phase viii take place over Mary
lano the District of Columbia and Vir
ginia. The East Coast exercises viii
cover period of from ten DAYS to tsyo
weeks. wv
THE annual field exercises" said F
Iruoee Dawson, Assistant Secretary of
war Tor Aeronautics, ARE of tremen-
dous value tc the Air Corps not alone
IN testing current tactical theories and
IN development of new methods of
aerial combat but also in teaching the
Ar Corps to coordinate as a team.
owing TO the geographical distribu-
Llon OF our air forceS-in Texas, Cali
1ornia, Michigan. Virginia and other
placeS-it is absolutely necessary for the
efhciency of the service that the Air
Corps has opportunity at least once a
year and under the most realistic con-
oltlons possible to function as a unit
WmIe We are not as yet prepared to
0ivuIge the plan of action to be fol-
lowed, can say that it will be dramatic
ana realistic and should attract wide
public attention"
New Passenger Line Opens.
The new Eastern Air Transport pas
senger service between New York and
Atlanta, which is to be extended about
January to Miami and st. Petersburg,
Fla. affords a magnificent means for
seeing the beauties of the Atlantic sea-
board States. The line passes directly
over some Of the most interesting spots
IN the country from a historic View
point and embraces some of the most
magnificent scenery in the East
When service was inaugurated over
the line during the week the writer was
passenger on the opening run from
Atlanta to the National Capital as q
guest of officials of Eastern Air Trans
port. The take-of from Gambler Field,
Atlanta's big terminal airport. which
now is being enlarged was made at
$50 am. after two earlier planes had
gotten away over the line
The morning had been sharp and
raw, with a heavy ground mist. in
sharp contrast to the genial hospitality
Of Atlanta folks during the preceding
night. Those Atlantans lust weren't
getting any reciprocation from the
Weather Bureau at all and it wasn't
until the plane began to fly North that
the atmosphere became mild and
genial
Ten minutes after leaving Gambler
Field our pilot, Ray D. Wonsey of CO.
loniars New York Boston run, i'm
Erv