Evening star., 1930-05-23
PLANES GATHERING
FOR NAVY RACES
Curtiss Trophy Match and
Features to Be City's Big |
gest Air Event.

Final preparations are being COM
pleted today at the Anacostia Naval
Air Station for the National Capitals
greatest aeronautical event, the Curtiss
Marine Trophy races and a number Of
special features, to be held tomorrow
afternoon.
The demonstration is to begin at
1890 pm, when 1874 combat planes
comprising the aircraft squadrons of the
battle feet will arrive over the city for
the most impressive aerial review ever
held here. From 1890 until pm,
when the race begins, there will be one
feature after another. bringing to the
National Capital for the first time the
varied and sensational phases of naval
aviation.
The four pylons marking the elon-
gated diamond-shaped speed course over
which the race will be flown were put
in position today, one between the War
College and Hams Point, one at point
10 miles down the Potomac, one at the
Alexandria water front, and one across
the river from Alexandria on the Mary
land shore.
Paul I. Gunn, naval enlisted aviation
pilot, took of from the local station to-
day In a Navy O2-U observation plane
to scatter announcements and programs
for the races over Baltimore and all
the Maryland towns and communities
in the vicinity of the National Capital.
Four Coming Today.
Four planes from the Hampton Roads
Naval Air Station which will take part
in the races will leave the Virginia
station for this city this afternoon.
They will be piloted by Lieuts. r. D.
Quinn, w. G. Manly, B. B. Nichol and
D w. Harrigan. Several other planes
entered in the races by the Battle Fleet
VIII be flown here early tomorrow.
In addition to the review Of the air
craft squadrons the special events will
include the landing of the planes COM
Navy field, at / o'clock; combat flying
by the famous Red Rippers" squadron,
1:40 pm: demonstration of acrobatic
formation flying by three-plane Sec
ton from the Marine Corps East Coast
Expeditionary Force, led by Lieut.. Chris
tian F. Shit, hero of the Nicaraguan
campaign, 2 to 2:20 pm; demonstra-
ton by the Navy dirigible Los Angeles,
including the launching of a glider
flown by Lieut.. Ralph S. Barnaby, U.
8. NJ. and the picking up in flight of
an airplane flown by Lieut.. Comdr. G.
A. Nicholson, U. S. NJ, 2:30 to 2:45
pm, and parachute jumping and in
dividual acrobatics by Lieut.. M. B.
Gardner, operations oficer at Anacostia,
following the races.
The latest entry list In the hands of
local operations officers at Anacostia
today showed 26 combat planes entered
in the races for the CurtiSs trophy In
gals trophy and other special prizes
This list includes seven Curtiss fighters,
five 02-U observation and scouting
planes, four torpedo and bombardment
planes, five amphibians and five train
ing planes.
Planes Coming from Fleet.
The air armada from the battle fleet
is to leave Norfolk, Va, at 10 o'clock
tomorrow morning under command OF
Capt. Kenneth whiting, U. s. N,
chief Of staff to Rear Admiral H. v.
Butler, commanding the aircraft squad
rons of the battle fleet. The take-off
will be by squadrons, which will rem
devious over Indian Head, Md, at 1918
pm.
From Indian Head the squadrons will
fly to Washington at attitudes OF from
1000 to 1,50O feet, according to Asso-
ciated Press dispatches from Norfolk,
and will pass In review over the Naval
Air Station between 1890 and l pm.
The route of the planes over the city
will be from the Capitol to the WASH
ington Monument, then right to Chevy
Chase and back along the line Of Con-
necticut avenue to Anacostia.
The airplane tenders Aroostook and
Gannett Of the battle fleet air squad
rons are to come here as an emergency
base for the visiting planes. Following
the review the squadrons all are 70 land
at Anacostia. II the weather remains
favorable and the races are completed
In time, some Of the SQuadrons Will
:eave late tomorrow afternoon for Nor
folk, others remaining here overnight
and returning Sunday.
i Second Glider Descent.
The glider descent from the Los
Angeles will be the second in history.
the only other having been made last
Angeles at Lakehurst, N J. The little
motorless craft probably will be cut
loose at an altitude of $500 or 5000
feet and will spiral down to land
ing at Anacostia.
Comdr. Nicholson, who will attach
his plane to the Los Angeles, performed
the feat for President Hoover last
IueSday during the f1eet review OH the
Virginia Capes, the first time 1t ever had
been done at sea. This feat is prepa-
ration for the launching of the two
giant Navy dirigibles now under con-
struction, each of which will carry five
or six fighting planes.
The combat demonstration by the
Red Rippers is expected to be one OF
the most sensational performances OF
the afternoon, and probably will in
clude vertical power-dive lombard
ment attack by the entire squadron and
the famous and tricky three-way diving
attack. which is designed to confuse
anti-aircraft gunners. The Rippers are
known officially as VB-1B Light Bonn
bardment Squadron and their home
station is the u. S. S. Lexington. The
squadron is equipped with Boeing sim
gle scatter fighters, and is one Of the
most famous of the Navy combat or
ganizations. It Is commanded by Lieut.
Comdr. John H. Campman.
Curtiss Race 100 Miles.
The Curtiss race will be over five
laps of the 20-mile course, for a total