Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-31
] i Mp!
Flying Colonel Leaps Four
Times to Merit Title of
Ace"
Twice He Narrowly Escapes
Disaster When Planes
Chase Him Down.
BY DON GlAssMAN.

BY DON G1.ASSMAN.
While transforming through Nebras-
ka in 1922, Charles a. Lindbergh prac-
ticeo wing-walking IS a side-show for
county fairs. On tour, he met Charlie
Harden, q well known parachutist.
Using Harden's chutts, he took his first
Jump, a ''double-dror" and consequent
ly, as professional acrobat. wing
walker and parac 1utist, Lindbergh
leaped II times before making an
emergency jump or soloing in a plane.
In 1925 he flew his Canadian Jenny
hay wire fittings-Jo Florida. Making
forced landing over unfavorable
ground he ripped off the rolling gear
and splintered the propeller. With the
assistance of the Pensacola Naval Air
Station he repaired the damage and
tested his work with a borrowed Gov
eminent regulation parachute, which
provided the confidence to put the
Canuck through Tnaneuvers which he
never would have dreamed of doing
before.
He confided his life and career to
the shroud lines of parachute. In
less than two years he leaped into
Caterpillar history four times and was
the hrst to merit an opposite title,
Caterpillar Ace. Although Lind
bergh'S record subStantiates his lead
ership one should not assume also that
he founded or organized the Caterpillar
Order That is misleading
He felt elated over his appointment
to the class OF flying cadets at Brooks
Field, Tex, For at Brooks the bodies
OF men are trained to synchronize with
an airplane.
No Ma or Casualties.
Lindbergh received initial instruc-
ton at Brooks and advanced training
at Kelley Field. His class, 1925, en-
joys the singular reputation of having
had nc major casualties. The only
accident took place nine days before
graduation exercises. In that mishap,
he first performed the role of protago-
mist in aerial drama.
Five thousand feet over Kelly Field
some SE-5s and DH4Bs were practic-
ing pursuit and attack formations. The
leader of the pursuits led the onslaught.
He would pounce on a DH4B prey like
a taloned bird, his followers sweeping
after. Such maneuvering draws three
swift-moving ships together at COM
mon point calling for consummate skill
from each pilot. He must not only
attend his own ship and the enemy, but
avoid collision with other planes in
his element. On this eventful day,
March 6, 1925, fate threw the ships of
Cadet Lindbergh and Lieut.. C. D. Nc
Allister together at the handle of a
spectacular fan dive. Both pilots saw
the approaching collision, yet were
helpless in trying to avoid it. Nc
Allister flew on the defensive, figura-
lively, for Lindherghs propeller
chewed into his right wing
The report Cadet Liindbergh filed
with the Kelly Field commandant re-
vealed that when his group nosed down
on the DH4B, Lindbergh attacked
from the left and Lieut., McAllister
from the right. After Cadet Love
pulled up. Lindgergh saw no other
ships nearby. He passed above the
DH4B and moment later felt a slight
jolt, followed by a crash.
Head Strikes CowIing.
His head was thrown forward against
the cowling and his plane seemed to
turn around and harg nearly notion
less for a second Then he closed the
throttle and saw SE-5 with Lieut..
McAllister in the cockpit a few feet
on his left. He was apparently unhurt
and getting ready to jump.
The ships were locked together with
fuselages approximately parallel Lind
bergh's right wing was damaged and
had folded back slightly, covering the
forward right-hand corner of the cock
pit. Then the ship started to mill
around and the wires began whistling.
The right wing commenced vibrating,
striking his head at the bottom of each
oscillation.
After he jumped backward as far
from the ship as possible, he noticed
that the. wreckage was falling straight
down toward him. Fearing 1t might
fall on him, he did not pull the rip
cord until he had dropped several hun
bred feet and into the clouds
Lieut., McAllister floated above and
the wrecked ships passed about 100
yards to one side, continuing to spin
on the right and leaving a trail Of
lighter fragments along their path.
Lindbergh watched them, locked in
embrace, crash about 1000 feet below.
Both Lindbergh and McAllister won
Caterpillar membership in this acct
dent.
The Government had invested a $3.50
insurance premium in the career of
each flying cadet, and 60 caterpillars
had labored one year to spin the fabric
Of silken lifeboat.
10 Receive Silver Wings.
Out of an entrance class of 118, only
10 won silver wings from the Army
bllQDefBn among lfleIl. Inc GRADUATES
assembled for the last time at dinner
in San Antonio Then they scattered
Lindbergh joined the Robertson Air
craft Corporation, st Louis, as chief
pilot for It's commercial lines. While
awaiting results on submitted bids TO
carry the airmail, he was induced by
Ben Belle an aeronautical engineer to
test a commercial plane newly designed
Lindbergh few the ship twice. The
first time he sought to cultivate an &C
quaintance She seemed to perform
well Manning the controls a second
time, on June 2, 1925 he essayed ma
neuvers that would finally determine
her airworthinesS