Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-21
'672 PLANES FIGHT
ADVERSE WEATHER
Armada's Dayton-to- Chicago
Hop Called Greatest on
CroSS-Country Mission.
BY JOSEPH s. EDGERTON,
Aviation Editor OF The Star.

IN FLIGHT WITH LIST AIR DIVl-
SION, ARMY AIR CORYS. Fair
field, Ohio. to Chicago. May 2l,-
Taking off in the face of adverse wea tn
er conditions, this great force of 672
military planes is pushing forward in
an immense open column many miles
long across the rain-soaked fields of
Indiana This is the greatest aerial
force ever moved on an extended cross
country mission in the history OF avia-
ton, according to the veteran flight
commanders VINO are leading the way
to Lake Michigan.
Far up ahead are squadron upon
squadron of wasplike pursuit planes
vanguard of this armada of the skies.
When the swing away from Fairfield
began shortly before noon today there
were IL squadrons of the wicked little
Single-seaters in sight. circling for alti-
tude before heading into the murky
northwest
Behind the pursuits are observation,
attack bombardment and transport
planes. hundreds of them, strung out in
a vast roaring column.
This is being. written on a portable
typewriter in the rear compartment of
huge 32-passenqer Fokker transport
largest airplane built in the United
States which Is in command of Col
Edward v Rickenbacker, foremost
American World War ace. At the con-
trolls are Vic" Bertrandias, famous for
mer Army test pilot, and Bill De VALID
The four big motors of this red and sill
yer giant OF the skies are roaring
smoo hly as Bert andias holds the nose
in the line of the swift column, the
rear clementsAof which are visible
ahead
Plane Bucking Head Wind.
One hour out OF Fairfield Air Depot,
temporary field headquarters OF the di-
vision. we are passing just north of
Marion, Ind, a little better than 100
miles from Fairfield. Col Ricken-
hacker just dropped into the next scat
with word that we are bucking a head
wind OF nearly 30 miles per hour
The Marion Airport Is visible nearly
s miles to the south, beyond the CITY.
Though the cir is fairly rough this
great plane, IT an altitude of about
1000 feet, rides easily on its broad
wings, which have a span of Just a
few inches under 100 feet.
We have just passed over a little
town at q fork Of the railroads which
the map shows to be Gas City Ind,
ll2 miles out Of Fairfield and nearly
half way to Chicago. We are flying
gradually out of the storm belt, and
there is a brief burst OF sunlight
through the pail. This is the edge Of
a badweather area which enveloped
the Chicago area yesterday and de-
lsyed for "a hours the advance OF the
division to Chicago. 1t is going TO re-
suit in exceedingly hard work for the
officers and mechanics during the next
three days. since the schedule must be
followed rigidly and the time lost must
come out of rest and maintenance
periods
The division is to rest tonight on the
airports around Chicago and will take
of early tomorrow morning, assembling
in close formation to pass in review
over the lake front. Without stopping
the division will return to Dayton, bas-
ing for the night at Fairfield and
Wright Field The advance to New
York will begin Friday morning with
two OF the observation groups stopping
on at Boiling Field, National Capital
Military Field. for fuel
Climbs for Altitude.
The sun now is shining at frequent
intervals and Bertrandiss is climbing
1or altitude as we cross the dark waters
of the Wabash River, famed in song and
story, near Logansport. Ind. Cloud
shadows lie heavily across the fiat
farms below and a deep-dug drainage
canal following generally the course of
what was once slow and insignificant
stream, Is full OF muddy water.
Two hours out OF Fairfield we are fol-
lowing the lire OF the Erie Railroad into
Chicago and have just crossed the
main line OF the Pennsylvania.
the railroads forming ideal guides
for the squadrons, the first of which by
now should be landed and parked on
the Chicago fields. Crown Point. Chi
csgos "Gretna Green" just slipped by
below. Cedar Lake is off five miles to
the left and far to the right and ahead
Gary, Ind, paints the sky with
smudgy brush of smoke.
Suddenly on the right appears the
open expanse OF Ford Lansing Airport.
yellow with the wings of the Army.
Squadrons are parked in long rows and
one squadron, just landed, is taxing
into place. We swing around in a long
circle. five miles across. dropping slowly.
The field is far TO the left, under the
wing. Bertrandais throttles the engines
and we glide down easily to a landing
on the bro-d turf surface, completing
the first phase Of the greatest demon
Stration of the mobility Of a modern
military air power in peace time history.