Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-02
SUPER-A|R BOMBER
REVEALED At RACE
Details of Most Dreadful
Flying Weapon Barred.
Waits Army 0. K.
By JOSEPH s. EDGERTON,
Aviation Editor Of The star.

CLEVELAND AIRPORT. September
First details Of what is said to be
one of the most terrible weapons OF
aerial warfare ever devised, a mighty
bombardment plane capable OF l8o-
miles-per- hour speed at an altitude OF
miles above the earth with load
of $500 pounds of high explosive
bombs and nests of powerful machine
guns, have been revealed here during
the National Air Races.
Following the conclusion of remark
able tests of the new plane in secret
at Wright Field. Dayton, Ohio. the
Army Air Corps has issued a contract
to the Boeing Airplane Co, Seattle,
Wash. for seven of the ships for
srueIing service trials in the lombard
ment sQuadrons Of the Air Corps.
If the great ships measure up 70 ex-
pectations. Air Corps officers believe
that a long step will have been taken
toward solution of one of the gravest
problems of modern aerial defense.
The reports received here indicate that
the bic bombers, which are literally
Living wings" will be able to hold their
own in sheer speed with the fast little
single-seater pursuit planes now IN the
service squadrons. They not only Will
be able to engage in running fght on
favorable terms with the waSps OF the
air. but will be so heavily armed as
to give vicious battle to superior force
of hostile single-seaters.
Built for Speed.
The new bombers embody some Of the
features Of the fast little single sailor
racing planes of the type made famous
by Capt. Frank M. Hawks. Maj Jimmy
Doolittle, Col. Charles A. Lindbergh and
others in setting up the long series Of
speed records which grace the recent
pages of aviation history.
They are fashioned on a much larger
scale, however. They are Of the low
wing monoplane type with the fuselage
or body of the ship SO beautifully built
into the wing as to form virtually q
single unit The two powerful 575-
horsepower engines also are built clean
ly into the wing with every possible
obstruction to the smooth flow of air
removed. The landing gear is Of the
retractable type, folding up in the
wing.
Machine guns are mounted at several
gun emplantments so located as to cover
virtually every angle of approach and
prevent hostile attack from an unde-
Tended blind angle.
Further details of the planes are
withheld as military secrets, and the
time of first public appearance of the
new American contribution to the
science of aerial warfare is problemati-
cal. It was stated. The finger of mis-
fortune which has put three Marine
Corps planes out of the picture during
the races was pointed yesterday after
noon at the Air Corps and another
member was added to the Caterpillar
Club when Lieut.. Thayer S. Olds, LIST
Pursuit Group, was forced to abandon
his stricken plane over the lake front,
landing with his parachute in the
water.
Pilot Goes to Rescue.
As Is customary In such emergencies,
q designated pilot from the squadron
followed the dropping parachute down
to see whether any assistance would be
required. This pilot, Lieut.. Halan Van
auken, watched Lieut.. Olds drop into
the lake so yards of shore. Vanauken
saw his flying mate disappear beneath
the surface then bob up, wave his arms
in signal that he was In control of the
situation. Vanauken rejoined the
squadron and the show went on with
a blank file.
Olds could not determine the cause
OF the trouble with his plane, which
suddenly began vibrating so violently
that half the instrument panel was
shaken from its fittings. He shut of
the motor but the vibration continued
80 heavily he had no choice but to
hail out" It was the first serious
casualty suffered by an Army squadron
IN public demonstrations in many hun
ored OF thousands of miles of flying.