Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-12
TINY PLANES SEEN
AT A|RCRAFT SHOW
Midget Aircraft Priced Like
Autos and Predominant at
Detroit Exhibit.
Ny the Associated Press.

9y the Associated Press.
DETROIT, April 11.-Airplanes OF
1881. bright husd and shiny, had their
coming-out party today with the open
ing of the National Aircraft Show.
More than four score models, domi-
mated in number by "vest-pocket" and
light airplanes for the private and sport
flyer, stood on dress parade for pre-
view by Government and aircraft off,
cials and prominent flyers during the
At night the doors we're opened to
the public. The exposition, the only
major aircraft show of the year, spon-
sored by the Detroit Board of Com
merce and the Aeronautical Chamber
of Commerce, will be continued through
April 10.
Nearly so Of the new models were
light and feather-weight planes, with
more than half Of this number of the
midget type, with motors ranging from
Is to 100 horsepower.
Cheapest Is $1,000.
Many of them in the price range of
medium cost automobiles. with the
cheapest under 81 900. the midgets
ranged from single-seat open ships
with two-cylinder engines to heavier
models carrying passengers in closed
cabins.
Bright colors predominated in all
models, ranging from brilliant yellows
and reds to pastel shades of blue and
green. There was more streamlining Of
parts. with cowled engines and pants"
on wheels.
If the shows offerings were wholly
representative of the industry 1881 air.
plane styles dictate the monoplane in
preference to biplane. Monoplanes out
- n - wYvtNl
cockpit ships slightly more numerous
than cabin planes.
Midget Planes for Two.
Among the midget airplanes making
their debuts we're the Stout Sky Car"
a closed plane for two with a four
cylinder motor, pusher propeller and
a1d automobile headlight and controls;
a Fairchild "Flivver" carrying two peo-
pie in tandem; Cloud Coupe with
five-cylinder engine and Heath Para
sol with a wing span OF rs feet.
Set apart among the heavier planes,
held on the shoulders of giant statue,
was the new freighter cabin monoplane
put out by the Ford Motor Co. It has
the same dimensions as the tri,motored
club and transport makes OF the COM
pany, but is equipped with single
water-cooled engine and four-blaoed
propeller.
Lockheed displayed the new Orion, a
development of Col. Charles A. Lind
bergh's low-wing monoplane, with re-
tractable landing gear to increase speed.
Douglas, once limiting production to
military craft, introduced a twin
engined monoplane amphibian.
Sky Ambulance Shown.
Fokker planes were represented by
three high-winged monoplanes, one
military ambulance with spaces for six
to eleven patients. Bellanca introduced
q six-place "skyrocket" cabin monoplane
with span of IS feet and included
sesqui-plane with a single engine but
heavy payload carrying capacity.
Among the accessory exhibits were
$4,000 model of the Armstrong seadrome
being developed for ocean bases; the
largest shock absorbing struts in the
world, lib inches long and capable Of
supporting a load of $4,000 pounds;
variable pitch propellers. quick-release
parachutes, sectionalized atrplanes and
engines and refined earth inductor
compass.