Evening star., 1934-08-12


Fall-perhaps at the Big Meade
Checking by the United States Geo.
logical Survey of the course fiown by
Richard c. du Pont during the Elmira
meet, shows that his straight-line dis
tance was actually 254.75e kilometers,
or 1888 miles, instead of i55 as origi-
nally estimated, 1t has been announced
by the National Aeronautic Associa-
ton. This finding, however. still Is
subject 10 homologation by the Fed
Grafton AeTonautique Internationale
before du Pont Is given his official
credit for q new American soaring
record for distance. The altitude rec
ord made by du Pont during the El-
mira meet has been offlcially accepted
as O national record.
Champion Expected.
The Big Meadows meet is expected
to attract the 1894 glider champion,
du Pont. and possibly the 1893 cham
pion, Dick O'Meara. Dick du Pont Is
no stranger to the Virginia mountains,
into which he brought an expedition
last year. Members Of the party few
from Big Meadows and other sites as
FAR south along the Blue Ridge as
Rockfish Gap, near Waynesboro, and
made q number Of fine flights, In
cluding an American distance record
flight by du Pont of 122 miles from
Rockfish Gap to Frederick. Md.
Lieut.. Comdr. Ralph 8. Blrnaby,
first Navy glider pilot and pioneer In
soaring fight In America, now on duty
at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola.
Fla, In connection with the training
Of fiedgling Navy pilots in glider flying
as preliminary to power-plane fight,
Is expected to attend the Big Meadows
meet. Barnaby was instrumental In
bringing about development of the
Blue Ridge soaring area and sponsored
an aerial Photographic study of the
region. which had large part in the
setting aside by the National Park
Service OF the Big Meadows section
as public glider base.
Evidence Of Increasing interest In
soaring and gliding is reflected In
many requests for information as To
the details Of du Points record break
ing soarer. This craft, the AIbatross
II, was built at San Fernando, Calf,
and Ii a gull-wing type with q wing
span OF 81 feet, wing area Of 2O5
square feet and q total weight, empty,
OF but SAT pounds. The wing and
fuselage are covered with q skin of
very thin spruce.
Stressed According to Rules.
The Albatross III is stressed, In ac-
cordance with the regulations of the
Department of Commerce, to with
stand vertical gusts OF 30 feet Der
second at a forward speed Of 80 miles
per hour, or q gust Of Is feet Der
second at q speed of "a miles Der
hour. The limiting safe diving speed
is $50 miles per hour.
The wings are Of single spar con-
struction except for O light rear spar
used only to transmit stresses from
the ailerons and flaps to the ribs
The maps are Of split trailing edge
type. with q total length Of about 20
feet They serve to reduce the land
ing speed by 40 per cent There is a
single landing wheel.
The fuselage Is Of true monocoque
construction, without internal brac-
ing, and the cockpit is completely
inclosed. The instruments carried
are altimeter, air speed indicator and
variometer. The dep" or wheel type
control Is used, with no horizontal
stahilizer. The elevators are fully
balanced and geared to reduce sensi-
tivity at high speeds or while being
towed by airplane. The rudder Il
partially balanced.
The gliding angle OF this beautifully
designed craft Is only 80 10 at q
speed Of "a miles per hour; that is,
the craft settles only one foot for
every 30 feet flown. At As miles per
hour the gliding angle is 20 TO /.
1t has a normal sinking speed of 1.6
feet per second. The landing speed,
with flaps, Is II miles per hour, and
without flaps ~ miles per hour.
Real Women's Meet Planned.
The national flying meet for woman
pilots, to be held here October l3 and
IA under the auspices Of the "o9ers, /"
national organization Of woman fly
ers, and the Washington Air Derby
Association, really viii be q meet for
women. Not only viii all the con-
testants be women, but it Is planned
that all the field officials, starters,
judges and timers shall be women,
making 1t one Of the first all-feminine
sir meets In the world.
The meet is timed to follow the
important meetings here of the Fed
GRAFTON Aeronautique Internationale,
world-governing body for aviation, and
the National Aeronautic Association,
American representatives of the F. A.
l., which viii be concluded October IL.
The F. A. ]. meet, first held in the
United States for many years, win
bring together aviation leaders from
all parts of the world and q number Of
important international aeronautical
problems are on the conference
agenda. The N. A. A. convention win
follow Immediately after the F. A. I.
gathering.
A Navy Fish Story.
VP Squadron 9, one Of the Navy
flying boat squadrons at Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii, has something new in the way
Of fish stories. It Is the tale of a fish
that almost caught its man, coming
out Of the water to do so.
According to the tale relayed
through semi-oficial channels from
h. tall - :. -