Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-10
u Flyers Missed
Death by Fraction
During Maneuvers
Fuel About Gone as 80
Land Planes Found
Carrier at Night.


great tragedy in the history OF naval
aviation, involving the loss ct sea of
two squadrons totaling 36 planes and
70 men, during the annual maneuvers
Of the fieet now being concluded in
Panama waters, has led to experiments
which may change the makeup Of the
Nays fighter squadrons.
The two squadrons, it was explained
today by David s. ingalls,, Assistant
Secretary of the Navy for Aeronautics,
missed their rendezvous with their airl
craft carrier after q long scouting mis-
sion over the open sea.
Returning at dusk, with fuel running
low, to the spot where they expected to
find the carrier, the II officers and men
Of the two squadrons were startled to
find no signs Of the carrier or any
other vessel below There was no sign
Of ship Of any kind and, with dark
closing in, their plight was desperate.
All Land-Type Planes.
All the planes Of the two squadrons
were of the land-plane type, fitted for
landing on the decks of the carriers,
but equipped only with emergency TO-
tation gear to keep them afioat tenn
porarily In case Of landing at sea.
As the two squadrons circled around
in the gathering dark anxiously seek
ing their home ship, q distant flashing
light was seen on the horizon approx
mately SO miles away and both SQUAD
rons headed for the light trusting their
fuel would hold out until they could
reach the unknown source of the rays.
II 1t were battleship, cruiser or de-
stroyer, they were prepared to land in
the open sea alongside, trusting to be
picked up before their planes sank,
though this would have meant the GER
tain loss of the 36 planes.
Fortunately, however, the light
turned out to be a searchlight aboard
their own carrier and both suuadrons
were able to land aboard in safety.
some OF the planes at the very limit
OF their fuel supply.
Flyers Morale Shaken.
at was an escape by the narrowest
OF margins from what would have been
terrific blow to naval aviation" Mr..
ingalls, said. "As it is, even though
the squadrons escaped without loss, it
was such terrible experience that the
shaken"
Steps have been undertaken to pre-
vent the possibility of such an occur
renee ever happening again, MIR. In
gals said.
while the experience has been a
shock to every one concerned" said Mr..
the affair. If the conditions which
caused this near-disaster had not been
revealed it is quite likely that we might
have lost an entire squadron or more
at sea-"
To prevent squadrons and carriers
becoming separated in the future dur
ing long-range missions at sea, every
squadron is to be equipped with radio
telephone or "homing" equipment even
though, in the case Of the single-seater
fighter and bombardment squadrons,
this may mean that the single-seaters
will have to be led by a different type
Of plane, Mr.. ingalls, said.
Depend on Navigation.
The Navy has been unable to devise
or purchase proper radio equipment for
its single-seater planes, Mr. Ingalls,
said, and as result they have had to
depend upon navigation alone to take
them back to their carriers. When the
planes are out of sight of the carriers
for several hours and the carrier is
forced to continue on its way, as it
must in fleet maneuvers, the problems
of navigation become quite intricate
and there Is grave danger of errors
which may prevent the squadrons find
ing the ship.
I'VE have tested any number Of radio
outfits" Mr.. ingalls, said, "but there
Is not q set yet produced which viii
meet the requirements for our fighter
and bombardment squadrons. Radio
telephone must be used because the
pilot simply cannot fly his plane in
formation and manipulate radio key
at the same time. Existing radio tele-
phone outfits weighing as much as q
radio code outfit with range of 200
miles give us a working range of only
about 40 miles. We must have perfect
communication over q distance of at
least 200 miles"
Because there Is no radio equipment
for the fighter squadrons, Mr.. ingalls,
said, these SquadronS now are being led
experimentally by two-seaters of the
Helldiver type. This plane Is new
Navy development which has been used
ton trips. Mr.. Ingalls, Helldiver also
was used by Capt. Frank NJ. Hawks and
VIII Rogers on their recent drought
relief expedition through the Southwest.
Fast as SingIe-seaters.
The Helldiver, though two-seater
type, Is as fast as the present single
scatter fighters, and can carry radio
equipment for the ranges required for
sea operations, Mr.. ingalls, said.
I'VE had three of the Helldivers with
the feet during the maneuvers," Mr..
ingalls, explained, but they are of q
new type, equipped with heavier engines
than those for which the planes were
originally designed, and the excessive
vibration caused leaks in the fuel tanks
Of all three planes which prevented
their use with the fighter squadrons.
This defect Is being remedied and the
new type Helldivers viii not have this
trouble. We will use them with the
tighter squadrons right away, and in the
future no Navy squadron will go on
long-range missions without equipment
which win make it certain they can find
their way back in safety"