Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-16
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDdERTON.

and Monterey Bay. The enemy
troops are to be concentrated at
Stockton, Modesto and other in
land points. AS the maneuvers
get under way, the invaders are
making ready to attack San Fran
cisco from land, sea and air.
It's going to be a strenuous pro-
gram for the Air Corps pilots,
command and staff. The men
may have to live on California air,
supposed to be worth at least one
full meal any day; hope, and an
occasional Swig of orange juice,
for days at time. Sleep and
rest will be among those things
they left at home in the rush to
get away. They are going to wal
low in war and the interiors OF
their skulls will be incrusted with
tactical problems.
The Air Corps SquadronS, on
their way to Sacramento and back
home, will fly a distance greater
than the circumference of the
globe; the total distance flown by
the individual planes will be ap-
proximately 10000 900 miles. When
the month is over, scenery will
be, in all probability, one of the
pilots pet averSiOnS.
The largest and most complete
ly equipped ambulance plane yet
built will participate in the ma
neuvers. It is tri-motored Ford
transport with accommodations
for a maximum of six patients,
two pilots, flight surgeon and a
medical attendant. Radio equip
ment will be carried in addition
to a complete surgical emergency
outfit, medicines, drugs, drinking
water, Sterlized water, antiSeptic
solutions and dressings.
The attitudes at which the COM
bat planes will fly during the bat
tie maneuverS range from 100
feet and less for attack to $1,000
feet and more for pursuit. OBJ
Servation planes used for battle
reconnaissance and fast, low
bombardment planes rival the at
tack in low altitude work, flying
usually at about 800 feet. ObSer-
walton planes used for night re-
connaiSSance will fly at about
1,500 feet and the balloons used
for artillery adjustment will be
raised to about 5000 feet.
Virtually all other operations
will be conducted at attitudes of
from one to five miles above the
earth'S surface. Night lombard
ment attacks are delivered from a
height of 5000 feet or more. OBJ
Servation planes used for artillery
adjustment and equipped with
radio for communicating their
observations to the artillery bat
terieS will fly at about 5000 feet.
Observation planes used for pho
tographic work and long distance
reconnaissance operate at alti-
tudeS ranging from 10000 to U.s.
600 feet. Day bombardment mis-
sions, flown by b. CurtiSS Condor
bomberS carrying 1000 pounds of
bombs, are flown at ranges Of H.
600 to $4,000 feet.
High Man Wins.
Above everything else operate
the pursuit planes, in formations
at various levels ranging from TO-
600 up to $1,000 feet. In this bust
ness it Is the high man who wins.
The pursuit pilot who can get
above every other ship in the sky
rubS his hands gleefully, If they
aren't too busy or too cold to use
for rubbing purposes, looks around
below for victims and prides him
self on being able to get a little
comfort out of the war. The un-
lucky pilot who finds himself out
climbed, however, looks to his in
surance, curses the people who
designed his plane and the people
who make him fly it, carries horse
shoes, rabbit feet and other mas
cots and then gloomily expects
the worst. His expectations usual
ly are realized.
Pursuit Planes Climb Slowly.
In addition to climb, the pursuit
plane must have speed, quality
sadly lacking in Army and Navy
pursuit and fighting planes in this
country. There are many COM
merciah planes in the country
which can run away from any
pursuit plane in the military
services.
The sluggishness of the stand
ard pursuit plane was given
pointed emphasis during the past
week when a new type of fast
transport plane was demonstrated