Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-03
GROUND FLYING
RULES CLEVELAND
SuIIen Skies Hold Many Fa.
nous Pilots Down at
Annual Meet.
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,
Aviation Editor of The Star.


CLEVELAND AIRPORT, September
3.-Ground flying. or what is known in
the Army Air Corps as barracks fly
ing" was the order of the day at the
national air races yesterday as the
srllen skies unburdened themselves of
the first rain heavy enough to hold up
the annual classic since 1925, when a
heavy storm raised havoc with the pro-
ceedings at Mitchell Field, Long Island.
Groups of the most famous pilots the
country has seen put in most OF the day
wagging their chins in hotel Hobbies and
rooms until the skies began to clear
toward late afternoon, and great were
the deeds they recounted. But In viz
tually every place where flying people
congregated they got around sooner or
later to the subject of speed flying
which is the big feature OF the 1881
meet.
BayIes' Feat Lends Test.
The feat of Lowell Bayles, lean, hand
some Massachusetts boy, in upsetting
the eight-year- speed record of Lieut..
Afford j. Williams, jr., though he will
not receive official recognition OF his
achievement has lent even keener zest
to the anticipation with which the
flyers here are awaiting the BendiX
Transcontinental Speed Derby and the
Thompson Trophy Race. the browning
speed contests of this years races.
The BendiX Derby. to be flown from
Los Angeles to Cleveland, with addi-
tional prizes for pilots who continue to
New York in an effort to break the
present tranScontinental speed record
of IL hours and 25 minutes, held by
Capt. Frank M. Hawks, had to be post
poned yesterday for the second time,
because of bad weather.
There are seven entrants in the
derby. Four of them-Maj. James H.
Jimmy Doolittle, Walter j. Hunter,
Harold S. johnson and Beeler Blevins
have announced that they will con-
tinue on to New York in an effort to
cut the transcontinental time to less
than half day. The other three en-
trants are Capt. Ira c. Eaker, On duty
at Boiling Field, Washington, who has
taken leave to begin his third cross
continent attempt of the Summer; Lou
ReicherS and James Goodwin Hall, the
flying broker who has been forcing
Hawks to extend himself to hold his
speed supremacy.
Pilots of First Rank.
1t would be difficult to find seven
better pilots for such grueling con-
test. as the Bendix Derby promises to
be and it is small wonder the topic Is
cropping up so consistently wherever
the pilots gather in dripping rain
washed Cleveland.
The Thompson. to be flown Monday
afternoon, will bring into competition
Bayles, several of the Ben6ix con-
testants, and other pilots of equal
calibcr, flying specially designed and
built racing planes produced with an
eye to this coveted trophy ind the
$4,000 prizes that go with it.
The amazing performance OF Bayles'
Gee Bee racer in its trial runs. when
it roared off an average of 267.342 miles
per hour on four heats over the speed
course, making one run at the terrific
speed of 286 miles per hour, faster than
any land pl2ne ever travelled, has led to
discussion among the military pilots
of its availability as a high speed pur-
suit plane of the "interceptor" type
now found in the British air force.
Planes of Tremendous Speed.
Tie British interceptors' are designed
for defense of London and are planes
Of tremendous speed, sacrificing per-
Torrance in other respects to get to
the scene of danger with the least pcs
sible delay The Gee Bee Is faster
by nearly 100 miles per hour than the
pursuit planes now in the Army Serv-
ice squadrons. 1t was pointed out that
the plane undoubtedly would lose much
of its speed when redesigned to carry
guns, but that it still would be exceed
ingly fast. While no official steps are
contemplated with regard to planes of
this type, Army officers in Cleveland
are watching with keen interest the
achievements of the Gee Bee and other
racers which are burning the Cleveland
skies.