Evening star., 1936-09-06

cerned almost wholly with communi-
cations and liaison work between the
War Department and the tactical air
organizations in the field.
New types Of squadrons, as well as
new activities. have come into being
at the local Air Corps post. Instead
of the former station complement
and the l4th Bombardment, 2lst OBJ
servation and Tooth Service Squadron,
there now are the 14th Base Head
quarters, 14th Base Headquarters
Squadron, 1st and End Staff Squad
rons, all new designations and new
functions.
With the completion of the reor-
ganization, a process which may re-
quire months of work, and the COM
pletion of the new Boiling Field. the
National Capital will be the home of
not only a type of organization and
activity new to military aviation, but
also model military aviation field.
Hundreds of emergency workers are
laboring on the permanent runways
at the new field and Congress will be
asked this Winter to provide funds
for construction of the hangers, shops
and other technical buildings needed
to provide an operating base. A few
days ago the post exchange at the
new field dedicated new and modern
gas station-another step toward the
completion of the new plant. This
station has indoor facilities for wash
ing and greasing cars, including a
hydraulic rack, and space for tires
and other facilities. A railroad siding
brings carloads of gasoline to within
few feet of large underground tanks.
The station is under management of
Master Sergt. Jake" Hoffman, in
charge of the post exchange and post
exchange restaurant.
AS a part of their functions, the
new staff squadrons at Boiling Field
will operate the miscellaneous asSort-
ment of service airplanes assigned to
the local post for the use of Air Corps
officers stationed in Washington.
Boiling now has about IS pilots at
tached or assigned for flying. Most of
this number are on duty in the office
of the chief of the Air Corps and
some are attending the Army War
College or the Army Industrial Col
lege. They maintain their flying pro-
ficiency by making short cross-coun-
try flights or local. practice flights
from Boiling Field. Air Reserve Off
GERS also train at the local field.
For this purpose, Boiling Field has
a great variety of airplanes. The SO
airplanes now assigned to the local
post include IA different types. repre-
senting almost all types Of Army fly
ing equipment.
One PT-3A primary training plane
is kept for practice and check flights
by reserve officers. Two Boeing
PIPES and one P-26A are available
for pursuit practice. A Fairchild C-s
cargo airplane is assigned for hoto-
graphic work only and is kept busy
by the photo section.
A Douglas C-29 amphibian and
Curtiss Condor CSC are used as trans
ports and two Douglas C-34 transports
are kept there assigned to the office
of the Secretary of War for special
flights.
Three BT-2B1s are kept busy ir
instrument flying training.
For general practice and cross
country flights there are 10 O-38B
Douglas observation airplanes. 6 O-38t
Douglases of a little later model, G
new Seversky BT-8 basic trainers
most advanced of all the basic train
ing airpianes in the service. and
BT-9
The National Guard Bureau of the
War Department has O-3SD and
O-43A. The arrival Of new AHA
attack airpIanes for the chief of tht
Air Corps and the assistant chief add!
another type to the group.
Although, with the removal Of tht
l4th Bombardment Squadron, there
now are no bombardment airplane:
regularly assigned. this type fire.
quently is on the line as a result o.
visits from the I'd Bombardment
Group, at Langley Field. Va.
A IR SERVICE veterans Of tht
"A World War will hold a reunion
and banquet in Cleveland September
20 as a feature of the American Legior
national convention. Headquarters
for the aviation veterans will be main
tanned at the Hotel Carter during
the convention. Several local Army
Air Service veterans are expected tt
attend.
Wartime pilots and observers will
meet in what Is expected to be th'
largest gathering Of American battle
flyers since the war, it was announced
Robert Tomsen of st. Louis is ma
tional commander Of the Air Servict
Veterans.
| A DAYLIGHT flight from the Ana
costa Naval Air Station to tht
Pacific Coast was made last month
by Lieut.. Thomas A. Ahroon, U. S. N
Leaving the local station at S am.
Lieut.. Ahroon arrived at the Nava
Air Station, San Diego. at $50 pm.
Pacific time.
Officers and men Of the Navy Re-
| serve unit at the Anacostia station
still are reminiscing over an incident
of the annual encampment which
they believe was just about as rigorous
| for the victims, in its own way, as wa.
Lieut.. Ahroon's grind between the
oceans. This was the reception BY
King Jupiter of the goodly number
of squadron "kiwis."
The newcomers. attired in diaper!
and "spliced together" with 1-incf
line, were lined up on their knees
before throne in the south end o.
the hangar at Cape May, N. j., where
the Summer training cruise was held
when his royal nibs and member!
of the regal encourage arrived in tht
royal chariot drawn by 30 horses (al
under the hood of one automobile)
The party included King Jupiter, hi
queen, the royal daughter, the ad'
miral, priest, scribe, doctor, barber
| and number of blivy wielders "a blivy
being an implement Of excruciatinl