Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-30
600 ARMY PLANES
EXHIBIT TACTICS.
CoIumn20 Miles Long Passes
In Review as Climax of
Record ManeuVerS.
Continued From First Page.)


tack SQUADRON Fort Crockett, Tex, each
plane bearing the insignia Of death,
represented as q skeleton swinging
scythe, the blade of which Is q sheet OF
flames Attack aviation has been de-
veloped solely for use against ground
troops and trains and Is one OF the
most destructive weapons the mind OF
man has yet devised for such grim use.
Led by Lieut. Ralph F. Stearley, the
18th. at low altitude. showed the
methods developed by attack aviation
for its assaults on machine-gun nests,
field artillery, infantry columns ana
strong points and other targets on the
battle line.
Squadron Dive Staged.
Then the familiar scream was heard
from above and down came the s5th IN
a headlong 250-mile -an-hour squadron
dive on the IL attack planes from an
altitude of several thousand feet. After
several assaults the attack planes with
drew and the pursuit went into an
exhibition of formation drill. Suddenly
two of the swift little ships broke away
from the squadron, which climbed away
and left the aerial arena clear for
whirling. breath-taking dog fight be-
tween the two planes.
The two solo pilots are Lieut.. irwin
A. Woodring, leader of the second flight
of the 95th and only surviving men,
Der of the famous Three Musketeers,"
and Lieut.. George E. Price. who estab-
lished a recent world altitude record
for combat planes carrying full mill
tary equipment
Lieut.. Woodring won fame by his
remarkable flight from the Pacific to
the Atlantic during the past Winter to
carry the japanese naval treaty. The
fight was made in one of the planes
of the 95th Squadron through terrible
weather resulting in the death in a
blizzard of Woodring's escort, flying a
second plane.
The modern combat methods demon
strated by the three crack squadrons
are more deadly than anything known
in the World War They reveal the
supremacy Of the new methods Of at
tack by whole squadrons acting as
unit. The three squadrons were Sc
lected by competition.
Hunter Acrobatic Pilot.
The 95th Pursuit Squadron, tempo
rarily attached to the goth Pursuit
Group had a brilliant combat record
in France, and also IS renowned for its
peace-time achievements. Capt. Hunt
er. its leader, is known as one of the
best acrobatic pilots in the Army and
where he was stationed up to last year
He has flown here in several military
demonstrations, including two of the
Army relief fund shows at the Army
War College.
At San Diego the 95th has been spe-
ciahzing in high altitude combat ma
neuvers and has flown in formation at
an altitude of 10000 feet, nearly s
miles above the earth the greatest
height attained by any formation. IN
dividual pilots of the squadron have
flown at heights of more than miles
with full fighting equipment, repeatedly
establishing new records.
Their work has included two-target
shooting at high attitudes, and they
have developed improvements in oxy-
gen and other equipment for high alti-
tude living which has tremendously in
creased the efficiency of the fighting
Squadrons to whom the ability to out
climb the enemy means not only the
dlherence between defeat and victory
but also between death and life for
practically all the pilots engaged.
Many DIFFICULTIES Overcome,
In reaching these tremendous alti-
tudes, where the winds blow at constant
veloc!t!es ranging from $50 to more
than 200 miles per hour, the pilots of
the 18th have had to overcome many
difficulties. It has been found that
temperature drops l degree Fahrenheit
with every 300 feet of ascent, so that
heavy flying suits, gloves, moccasins
and face masks have had to be de-
Velored for prolonged combat work at
attitudes above 10000 feet. Electrically
mated goggles are required to prevent
1rosting OF the lenses. The total weight
OF clothing and equipment a pilot must
wear tor work OF this sort exceeds so
pounds.
The 95th flies In the finest type pur-
SUIT plano used In the standard service
squadrons. They weigh 2700 pounds.
nave high speed of 100 miles per hour,
can climb 2.100 feet minute and can
be nu'led out of vertical power dive
OF $50 nils per hour. They are pow
cred with supc--char?ed radial air.
cooled engines. The shield of the 95th
shows its famous kicking mule"
insignia.
Units Arrive for Maneuvers.
The 18th Bombardment SQUADRON
spent last night at Langley Field
HAMPTON. Va, with other souadrons
OF the 18th Bombardment Wing. OF
which it is a unit. 1t took off from
Langley shortly after 8 o'clock this
morning and landed at Boiling Field in
a cloud of dust about $50. few min
utes later the 18th Attack Squadron
landed at Boiling from Logan Field
Baltimore, where the Sd Attack Group
OF which 1t Is unit. Is stationed
These two squadrons increased to
30 the number Of planes on the
ground at the local Army port. This
is more than twice the largest num-
Der of planes ever to land in the Ma
t.onal Capital at one time.
Just as the combat demonstrations
were getting under way near the LIN
CON Memorial. the main column of the
LIST Air Division began forming, squad
ron by squadron, group by group and
wing by wing in the vicinity Of GUAM.
tico. Va.
One OF the first attachments to ar
rive at the rendezvous point was the
1lth Bombardment Wing, minus the
18th Squadron, which was already over
the Capital. The wing includes So
heavy bombers and 33 light bombers
Under command Of Mai J. H. Prize.
The wing comprises two groups. the
second, from Langley Field Hampton.
96th Heavy Bombardment Squadrons
end the 7th Bembardment Group.
composed of tie 18th, heavy: the
9th and 31st. light. from Marcn
Field. Calf. and the 2CSth. light. man
ned by flying cadets from Kelly Field,
San Antonio, Tex.
The 2lst Observation Wing, COM
posed OF four groups, totaling II squad
ronS and $50 planes. came up close be-
hind the bombers from Langley Field,
where it was stationed last night The
Sd Attack Group, Of three regular
squadronS, with a provisional squadron,
manned by flying cadets, few into posi-
ton, under command of Maj. Daven-
port johnson.
22nd Is Colorful Outfit.
Then came the colorful 22nd OBJ
servation Wing, composed OF skeleton