Evening star., 1935-05-06
LOCAL FLYERS WIN
LANGLEY EVENTS
5000 See Spectacular
Aviation ShoW-PiIots
Fight Cold Winds.

Fighting high winds and cold,
Washington amateur pilots yesterday
afternoon ran away with lions share
of victories in the third annual Lang
ley day air meet at College Park Air
port, College Park. Md, under the
auspices of the Washington Air Derby
Association.
Heavy rain yesterday morning pre-
vented a number of out-of town con-
testants from reaching Washington
for the meet and the bad weather
also reduced the attendance, which,
however, was regarded as highly salts
factory in spite elhandicaps.
Before ni6re than 5000 spectators,
IS contestants engaged without acci-
dent In II competitive flying events.
The program also included several
spectacular flying demonstrations new
to Washington air crowds.
The day opened with a victory TOR
Miss Johanna Busse, chief Of the
thermometer section at the Bureau Of
Standards, in q 10-mile race for light
airplanes after her chief opponent,
Dick Schall, son of Senator Schall OF
Minnesota, had been disqualified for
exceeding by more than S per cent the
maximum allowable engine speed as
signed his ship. Miss Busse also took
first place in the 25-mile free-for-al
handicap for women pilots. Paul Han
lon, forced out of the running at the
end Of the first lap, dropped out Of
the opening race.
Robert G. Herring Of Philadelphia
ran away from a field Of local flyers
to finish first in the second race. q
25-mile handicap for airplanes IN the
1,265 to $500 pound weight class.
Herring later took first place in the
free-for-an sportsman pilots trophy
race.
Miss Gardner Second.
Miss Edna M. Gardner, Naval Hos
pital nurse, although she averaged
120.546 miles per hour for the 25-mile
course, as against the slow time OF
89.587 for Herring, had to be content
with second place in the second race.
Jimmy Foote finished third.
Two local pilots were disqualified IN
the third race, a 25-mile handicap for
airplanes weighing more than $500
pounds, and first place went to Ches-
ter H. Warrington, president OF the
Aero Club of Washington and former
president of the Air Derby group, with
a speed of 129.328 miles per hour.
Harrison Buddy" Somerville, presi-
dent Of the Derby Association. and
George Brinckerhoh, manager OF the
College Park Airport, were ruled out
for exceeding their engine speed rat
ings.
"Chet" Warrington also ran q close
second to Herring in the fourth race,
the sportsman pilots free-for-an.
Mrs. Genevieve M. Savage, wife OF
Capt. Charles M. Savage, adjutant OF
Boiling Field, finished third in this
event.
Miss Busse, Miss Gardner and Mrs.
Savage finished one-two- three in the
women's free-for-all, with Miss Helen
Frigo, also of Washington, finishing
close behind Mrs. Savage. Miss Frigo
missed her chance for third place
when she cut a pylon on the next to
the last lap and had to 60 back. The
start of the last lap Of this race fur
nished one Of the most exciting mo-
ments of the meet. when Miss Gard
ner and Mrs. Savage, after fighting a
neck-an-neck race through the
straightaway, entered the pylon turn
in front of the grandstand together,
and Miss Gardner, forcing Mrs. Saw
age to the outside Of the turn, nosed
past her. All the women except Mrs.
Savage lost count of laps and made
an extra trip around the course. Mrs.
Savage, finishing her race with steep
climb. noticed with surprise that the
others were going on for another lap
and decided to rejoin them, which she
did in a long, roaring dive.
Johnny Crowell, Charlotte, N. c.,
former Gates Flying Circus star, gave
the crowd a thrill with q demonstra-
ton Of "hands OF" acrobattic flying.
His hands were roped to the upper
wing Of his plane and he took Oh, Z
controlling his plane with feet and
knees alone.
Parachute Jump.
A scheduled 10,000-foot delayed
parachute Jump by George de Grange
Of Boiling Field had to be whitfield
down to about 5000 feet when the
plane began to pull into heavy clouds.
De Grange dropped more than 800
feet before pulling the rip-cord and
made q stand-up landing near the
airport circle In q stiff wind.
Dick Birchard, noted Pennsylvania
amateur acrobatic flyer, took q handy
first place In the acrobatic contest
with q very smooth exhibition. Sec
ond place was awarded Dick Schall.