Evening star., 1934-11-25

10 competing planes averaged 208327
miles per hour When the last Mitchell
race was flown in 1880, the winner,
Lieut.. Cy Belts, averaged 1854 miles
per hour.
The 217-mile average of the winner
this year, however, was only an indi-
cation of the true speed. The flying
of triangular course, with its many
sharp pylon turns usually costs 20
miles or more per hour in average
speed, the amount lost Increasing with
the speed of the airplane.
In addition, the Boeing pursuiters
were flown with their throttles tied
down to only part of the full power
to prevent burning out of the super
charged engines at the low attitudes
at which the race was flown. These
planes develop their best performance
at high attitudes and were far from
their best in the Selfridge Field con-
test a few days ago.
A better indication Of the actual
performance of the new pursuit
planes was given in a series of speed
dashes over a straightaway measured
mile The fastest time in this event
was made by Lieut.. H. H. Van Auken,
who was clocked at 1868 miles per
hour but who was disqualified for
pulling up short. The winner, Lieut..
D. c. Doubleday, averaged 240.3 miles
per hour for two runs, in opposite
directions, over the mile course.
These performances indicate that
at their efficient operating attitudes,
Uncle Sans new Army pursuit air
planes are capable of speeds Of 260
to 27O miles per hour at least. This
should GO a long way toward quiet
ing the criticism frequently heard
that this countrys military airplanes
are inferior to those of other coun-
tries.
1t is generally admitted that in
maneuverability this country's mill
tary ships are equal or superior TO
any others and that they need bow
to none in ruggedness of construc-
ton. This concrete demonstration of
speed throws much better light on
the whole situation.
Seadrome Need Claimed.
Recent developments in the United
States and abroad looking toward es-
tablishment Of transoceanic air
transport service have served TO in
tensify activities in behalf of the sea-
drome, or floating airport"
Appearing before the Federal Avia-
fioy, Coy,, yoiceioy1 honkarc Of tho GEO
drome plan have submitted figures
to support their belief that inter-
mediate servicing facilities must be
available on the long ocean routes
to make possible economically sound
air transport service.
Efforts will be continued to obtain
active Federal support of the sea-
drome project, 1t was announced, as
an aid to the pioneering by this coun-
try Of economically feasible ocean
transport service.
from Bermuda to the Azores into
three jumps, with intermediate re-
fueling, would increase the pay load
In the new long-range airplanes from
1000 to 10000 pounds per trip, it
was claimed. Assuming a seadrome
toll of 10 per cent, the gross income
per trip could be increased from
$4,000 to $4,000 through reduction of
the fuel load. according to the testi-
mony submitted before the commits
sion.
Backers Of the seadrome plan con-
tend that nonstop trans Atlantic fly
ing-boat service cannot be operated
without subsidy in the form Of mail
contracts at high rates. The use of
intermediate seadromes, they claim,
not only would increase the safety
factor Of such long-range operations,
but would, by increasing the pay-load,
make possible service which would
have better chance for economic
survival.
Contending that the economic fac
tor, in the absence of heavy mail sub
sides, 'is the thing that will ulti-
mately determine the soundness Of
one system or the other" the sea-
drome sponsors sought to convince the
Federal Aviation Commission that the
establishment of seadromes would
make possible a service which other
wise could not be operated economi-
cally.
Four seadromes along the trans
Atlantic route could be operated for
s576,000 a year, each manned by
crew of 43 officers and men. it is esti-
mated. It is claimed that the life
of a seadrome will be about 40 years,
based upon experience with metal
ships, and that, upon this basis, suf-
ficient volume Of traffic is in sight
to make the operation of such sys-
tenn feasible from an economic stand
point.
Scholarship Renewed.
The w. E. Boeing aeronautical
scholarships, open for competition to
university, college and junior college
students in the United States and
Canada, have been offered again for
the current school year, it has been
announced here.
This will represent the sixth an
nual offering of these scholarships.
which comprise two aeronautical
training courses, with tuition value
of $1,000, to be given at the Boeing
School of Aeronautics, Oakland,
Calf, a division of United Air Lines.
The scholarships are to be awarded
on the basis of a thesis competition
open to male students in good stand
ing and in regular attendance in any
university, college or Junior college
which offers at least two years Of
work leading to a bachelors degree
in arts or sciences. The competitors
must be between the ages Of 18 and