Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-01
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

| aeronautical research, aeronau-
tics branch, Department of Com
merce; Gilbert G. Budwig, direc-
tor of air regulation, aeronauticS
branch; Frederick r. Nicely, chief
of the information division, aero
nauticS branch; F. c. HingSburg,
chief of the Always division, Bu-
reau of Lighthouses, and M. S.
Boggs and E. w. Youravich, aero
nautical inspectors. One of the
pilots was M. Raymond Brooks,
noted World War combat pilot
and civil air transport flyer.
In the Fairchild on the ground
we're Charles I. Stanton of air
ways division and Eugene Sibley
and J. H. Mcbride, radio engineers
of the same division.
AS the Ford took off and began
climbing above the field the pas
sengers talked by interplane tele-
phone among themselves and
with Brooks, up forward in the
control cockpit. Their converse
ton, going out over the planes
radio transmitter, was overheard
by Stanton, sitting in the Fair
child on the field below.
When are you coming up,
Charlie?" Nicely asked Stanton
from the Ford in the air to the
Fairchild below.
CAS- soon as you get up to 1000
feet" Stanton replied converse
tionally. Nov we are coming"
he continued a moment later, and
the passengers in the Ford, look
ing down at the field below, could
see the Fairchild beginning to
move.
Free two-way conversation was
maintained between the planes
and individual passengers and
pilots during the flight. The Fed
eral officials participating in the
demonstrations reported the in
terplane communication very eff
fective. There was no difficulty
hearing above the noise of the
propellerS and engines and con-
versation was conducted, with the
held close to the lips,
as in ordinary telephone talking.
Artistic Liberty Exercised.
THERE is such thing as legiti-
mate artistic liberty and it
very often is applied to airplanes.
Every day we see drawings and
paintings of planes that are ideal
lied to fit the desires of the art
ist. Ordinarily no one objects to
the taking of artistic liberties if
they carry out the spirit of the
drawing.
The publication last Sunday,
however, of a photograph of the
plaster model for a stone shield to
be placed on the new Department
of Commerce Building to repre-
sent the aeronauticS branch has
aroused some feeling among aero
nautical people. The thing on
the shield is supposed to have de-
rived its inspiration from the
Spirit of st. Louis, the Ryan mon
oplane in which Col. Charles A.
made his New York
Paris flight.
The model, however, shows not
the fainteSt resemblance to the
Spirit of st. Louis. Nor does it
resemble any airplane yet seen in
flight in this or any ether country.
If 1t were artistic and created a
pleasing impression, there would
be no objection to divergence
from Photographic reality. It
isn't, in the opinion of many who
have seen the photograph of the
model. It grindS on the senses of
those who love airplanes. It is
clumsy and awkward. The wing
gives a distinct impression of
having slipped its moorings. The
plane wears it's wing as the old
time inebriate wore his silk topper
at 4 ANA little caved in on the
port side and over one ear.
The wing struts are as graceful
as so many lengths of rough
dressed hardwood lumber and,
since they are not placed for ade-
quate support, apparently serve
little real good. The plane has a
spreader bar between the wheels,
and, except for early carrier use,
spreader bars have been frowned
upon since the World War. Ger
tainly the Spirit of st. Louis never
had one, nor have any American
planes of its type since.
Has warts" Around the Nose.
The shield shows six funny lit
lie warts around the nose, which
kaIT avyIf -