Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-07

Alleghenies and fog boils
up out Of the deep valleys there
Ais nothing so comforting to the
aviator as radio and reliable
weather information. 1t is easy
to get into trouble crossing the
mountains If you take chances
with the weather and it Is just as
easy to keep out of trouble with
proper precautions.
A flight of three big twin-en-
gined bombardrhent planes from
Chicago to Langley Field, Va,
air races on the trail of a Sum-
mer storm during the week illus
trateS the value of radio.
The three bombers, from the
Second Bombardment Group, were
left in Chicago for the close OF
the national air races last Mon
day when six other planes. OF the
group, under command OF Capt.
Henry PaScale, Air Corps, went to
Cleveland for the start OF the
Gordon Bennett international
balloon race on Labor day.
Rain was falling at the great
Curtiss-R Reynolds airport, the
scene of the air races, on Tuesday
morning when the bomberS were
scheduled to take off. Low clouds
settled on the tops of the high
buildings in. the Chicago Loop.
There was fog and mist in the
towlands. Pilots of the group, as
Eembled at the field on schedule,
despite the weather, sat around
IN the Army operations building,
feet on desks, yawned and beat
the lives out of peStiferouS flies.
There was some local flying and
n limited amount of cross
country. The radio was working
overtime, picking up every snatch
OF weather information sent out
by Department of Commerce air.
ways stations, Army and Navy
stations and other airports.
There was a break in the clouds
and fog to the east and north
east and nine pursuit planes from
the First Pursuit Group took off
for Selfridge Field, Mich. To the
south everything was closed in.
The Navy Red Ripper Squadron
remained on the ground. So did
the six Marine planes from Guam
tico. Va.
Consults Radio Reports.
Capt. Frank D. Hackett, in COM
inand of the bombers, however,
wanted to get home, so the radio
was worked and the weather re-
ports came in. The weather re-
manned unsettled to the south
and east. The rain fell slowly.
The fog persisted in the lowlands.
The clouds hung low. The pilots
yawned and SWatted flies. Capt
Hackett consulted weather re-
ports.
Finally the reports began to inn
prove. It was not raining so much
to the south and the clouds were
beginning to lift. Wright Field.
Dayton, Ohio, the goal of the
bomberS' first hop on the way
home, reported by radiofa pilot on
his way to Chicago in an Army
observation plane. Capt. Hackett
decided to wait until he came
through with first-hand reports
The pilots yawned or slept and
began to consider without any
hope the slim prospects for lunch
Capt. Hackett rubbed his chin.
Early in the afternoon the
Wright Field ship came in through
the gray sky and landed soddenly.
Capt. Hackett was beside the
cockpit before the pilot stepped
out. He nodded and signaled to
the mechanics under the bomber
wings with a circular motion of
\ his hands. The six big motors
lone after another coughed and
began to roar a home-going song.
Thee pilots ceased to yawn. They
Hepped out into the damp,
chilly air, dismissed vain thoughts
OF lunch and got into leather
jackets, parachuteS, helmets and
goggles. The writer was assigned
to No. n, of the famous Goth
Bonbardment Squadron, LieutS.
w. G. Davis and NJ. r. Knight. Air
Corps Reserve, on active duty, as
pilots.
Y Hackett Leads OF.
Checks were pulled, the roar of
the motors rose to a howl and
the field began to roll away be-
hind. Ahead Capt. Hackett's
plane, from the goth Bombard-
fnent Squadron, rose steadily into
the air. Behind him No. rs, from
the 96th Squadron, rose off the
ground. No. Al pulled off in its
place in echelon. The great
grandstands, so active the day be-
fore, so barren now, swung past
and were gone. The bomberS
swung into the loose "V" forma-
ton for cross country. A gliSten-
ing copper radio antenna Snaked
out from beneath Capt. Hackett' s
plane and hung in long curry
Ing arc below the formation. At
the inner end of the antenna
Corpl. E. w. Cushing, radio man
for the flight, adjusted his head
phones and began to work the
ground stations.
The clouds hung low and the
bombers Rugged the ground. Capt.
. Hackett took no chances on flying
over Chicago at low altitude; he
led the way away from the lake
and around the greaat sprawling
. metropolis. Corpl. Cushing worked
the radio. Lieut.. NJ. d. Burnside
six feet four inches tall, former
resident of the District of Colum-
bia, Capt. Hackett's co-pilot and
navigation officer for the flight
consulted his maps. The flight
was homeWard bound.
Down beloW-not so far below
the landscape rolled along
rather slI1p0iShIv IF anV ono tells