Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-10


will wipe out the present organ
ization. 1t is moving time In Ine
NAVY and hundreds Of changes from
shore to sea status and the reverse
affect the Nays local air base more
heavily than in several years.
Comdr. Archibald H. Douglas, COM
mandant of the station, heads the list
Of those to GO. He is leaving behind
him a tremendously improved station
as a result of a vigorous program OF
construction which has included the
commencement of the first permanent
building on the station, improvement
of the landing area, construction OF
concrete aprons and warming-up plat
forms, rebuilding of the seaplane ramp,
installation of heating equipment in
the hangers, building of roads, land
scaping of the grounds, installation OF
new electrical equipment throughout.
construction of an engine test stand
and other improvements.
Comdr. Douglas is to go back to the
feet, reporting at San Diego, Calf,
West Coast base of the aviation squad
rons. He will be succeeded by ComGr.
Warren G. Child, aide for aviation,
Fleet Base Force.
Lieut.. Comdr. Joseph j. (Jock) Clark
executive officer at the local station,
and Comdr. Douglas second in COM
nand, also Is to go to San Diago and
will be succeeded by Lieut.. Condr. An
drew G. McFall, commanding officer Of
VT Squadron l-B, Aircraft Squadrons,
Battle Fleet, aboard the U. S. S. Lex
ington. Comdr. McFall led his torpedo
squadron to Washington last year.
Flying Fish" Depart.
Two of the stations famous acrobatic
forma ton, "the three flying fish,
are slated to return to the fleet and the
formation has been broken up after
establishing for itself a name as one of
the most remarkable stunt teams" ever
organized
The formation. which specialized in
inverted acrobatics. was organized and
led by Lieut.. Matthias B. Gardner, op-
erations officer at the local station.
Lieut.. Gardner, who was born and
reared In the District of Columbia, won
for himself during his stay here q rep
utation as the Nays foremost indivi-
dual acrobatic pilot. He was the sec
ond pilot to master the inverted fall
ing leaf" a maneuver which tests to
the utmost the qualities of pilot and
plane. He will be succeeded by Lieut..
Joseph T. Bolger, of VP-10-S Patrol
Squadron, assigned to the U. S. S.
Wright.
The second member of the fish" to
be lost TO the station Is Lieut. Aaron P
cPutt') Storrs, Sd, assistant operations
and repair officer. Lieut.. Storrs was a
former membe1 Of the Three Sea
Hawks" famouf Navy West Coast aero
bate team. and was a wing man in the
flying fish" De was a runner-up in
the Curtiss mi zine trophy race last
year and won Eficial commentator
Tor his part in 8 e Santo Dominican
hurricane relief ~.pedition last Fall.
Lieut.. Storrs will be succeeded by
Iipllf Charles %
Scouting Squadron, Aircraft Squadrons
Scouting Fleet, attached to the U. S. S.
Richmond
COmdr. Ceres to Leave.
Comdr. Frederick Ceres, medical Off
Ger and flight surgeon of the local sta
ton, regarded as one of the best flight
surgeons in the service, also Is to leave
Washington after notable service here.
He will be succeeded by Lieut. Clifton
A. Young. Medical Corps who will
come up from the Naval Air Station.
Pensacola, Fla, naval aviation training
base.
Lieut.. Ashton B. Smith. aide to the
executive, will be relieved by Lieut..
Robert II. Rodgers, who will come to
the air station from underseas service
aboard the submarine ST. Lieut.. AL
fred Doucet will give way to Lieut.
Eugene w. Kiefer, assigned here from
the U. S. S. Beaver.
Lieut.. Ward c. Gilbert, assistant
flight test officer at the local station
also has been ordered away and will
be succeeded by Lieut.. R-bert B. Pirie
VF-3B Fighter Squadron, Aircraft
SquadronS, Battle Fleet, stationed aboard
the aircraft carrier Lexington.
Lieut.. Henry F. MacComsey, assistant
flight test officer and gunnery officer at
the local station, who has played a
brilliant part in the work Of the flight
test section, is slated to go in the gen.
eral schedule of transfers, though his
successor has not yet been named.
Lieut.. Bion B. Bierer, jr., disbursing
officer at the station. also will be sent
away on transfer. His successor is yet
to be assigned.
The shake-up when completed will
leave but eight Of the present officers
on duty at the station, several Of whom
have been here less than year.
Ofstie to Remain.
Lieut.. Ralph A. Ofstie, chief Of the
flight test section, whose job is one OF
the most exacting in naval aviation
since all new planes must pass through
his department for fight testing before
they can be accepted for use by the
.,a"r, will remain in charge OF the Sec
ton
Lieut.. Arthur Gavin. who holds sew
eral world records, established by him
while on duty at the Philadelphia Naval
Aircraft Factory, also will remain here
The other officers remaining on duty
at Anacostia are Lieut.. Joseph B. An
derSon, theological officer; Lieut.. C. F.
Harper, Photographic officer and leader
OF the relief expedition to Santo Do
mingo; Lieut.. Thomas H. Robbins, as
sistant operations and repair officer;
Lieut.. Charlton D. Palmer, flight test
and radio offlce-; Li.ut. Frederick M,
Trapnell, assistant flight test officer and
third member Of the three flying fish, "
and Lieut. Comdr. William Cover. sup
ply and accounting officer.
All the changes are to be made be-
tween May 10 and July 10, according to
the Navy transfer schedules.
PIywOod and "Tony' Fokker.
Plywood Is responsible for the latest
troubles OF Anthony H. @. Fokker.
Thirty-ive tri-motored airplanes built
by Mr.. Fokker in 1929 and sod TO four
American airlines have been ordered
out of passenger service by Clarence M
Young Assistant Secretary of Com
nerce for Aaronautics. They were or
dercd grounded until thorough inspec-
ton can be made of the interior condi-
ton Of the p'ywood wings and balanced
ailerons substituted for the present type
TO improve the stability Of the ships
FoSSsr's airplanes are unique in that
ne adheres TO all-wooden wing con-
struction. The spars and ribs are OF
built-up wood and the wings are COW
cred with plywood. 1t is impossible u
see inside the wing without cutting
away the plywood wing covers. deli
cate. troublesome and expensive pro-
Ceedinc since IL Is exceedingly difficult
70 properly replace the section which
hSs been removed.
The result has been that the Depart
nnnnt Of Cnnnnnrcn has grave doubts