Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-17
AVIATION
BY JOSEPH S. EDdERToN.

~ 10 NnICdSO, W0STS on SAT.
"A urday and for nine days
n following the aviation
world will make carnival at thu
National Air Races over CurtiSs-
Wright-ReynoldS Airport.
From this and every other Sec
ton of the country and from
many foreign lands will come
planes and pilots to compete ir
the biggest air show in United
States history, for prizes totalins
more than 100000 and the glory
that goes with the modern flying
machine.
The foreign pilots and ma
chimes are attending the annual
air show for the first time in sew
eral years. Those from abroad
represent the pick Of the major
powers.
Forty-four events have been
approved by the National Aero
nautic Association, sponsor of the
show, exclusive of the air derbies
which will represent every corner
of the country in Chicago - one,
the Dixie Air Derby, to be started
from the Capital during the week
Civilian Pilots Predominate.
More than ever before the civil
ian pilots will dominate the show
which in years before has seen
most of the laurelS taken by fly
erS of the Army, Navy and Ma
Tine Corps.
Five of the events listed are
closed to civilian flyers. They are
the Marine Corps cloSed-courSe
race; two Army closed course
races, race for National Guard
flyers for the National Guard Lib
erty Engine Builders Trophy, and
the Navy cloSed-courSe race.
The rest of the contests are
open only to civilians or are free
9or-au, including service entries
and civilian entries.
The other events scheduled on
the program and already given
the stamp OF approval of the Ma
tional Aeronautic Association are:
Twenty-Seven events solely for
civilians, including many free
for-all; open cockpit and cabin
plane contests; a dead-Stick land
Ing test, balloon bursting event,
and a transport and efficiency
test; five contests open only to
women; five contests for sports
men" and their planes, and a
parachute jumping event.
The main event of the show,
which is the chief attraction of
foreign flyers, of course, is the
Thompson Trophy Race for speed
planes which are expected to give
the world something new to think
about in the way of airplane
speeds. It has attracted the best
of the planes made in this coun-
try and will furnish strenuous
competition for the American
flyer who would win 1t.
Restores Spectacular Event.
The restoration of q race Of
this sort to the program after q
lapse of several years assures the
show the most spectacular sort Of
exhibition which aviation has
been able to offer large assembled
crowds.
The Thompson Trophy race re-
stores racing to the place of i'm
portance 1t should have on the
program of such an outstanding
aeronautical event as the Nation
al Air Races. The word races, for
the past few years, has meant lit
tie in the actual running Of the
show, for there has been no SUI
preme test for plane speeds In
several years.
In the past the National Air
Races have meant mere spec
tacle, despite the fact that there
has been racing of q sort, II the
competition around the pylons Of
the past few years can really be
called racing. There has been no
great speed attained, at any rate.
Last years event was mainly
spectacular, with Col. Lindbergh
on hand, the Graf Zeppelin I'm
fishing her world flight, q Navy
stunt team and some freakish
looking aiTplanes on hand to do
their stunts.
With the return, however, of
the speed race as the major fea-
ture Of the show, the public has
shown q greater interest in the
proceedings ana The cAIllDlC mas
gained public favor that it has
not received in several years.
Carries $4,000 Prize.
The Thompson Trophy carries
with it $4,000 for the winner, and
this has been no small induce
ment to the flyer and plane man
ufacturers, although the prestige
to be gained from such a race is
worth considerably more than
that to the plane manufacturer
who builds the winning ship.
There are five glider events