Evening star., 1938-04-25
AIR RFORCE FACES
IMPORTANT TESTS
:. IN MANEUvERS
All Phases of Defense to Be
Included in War Games
in May.
200 PLANES AND 5000
MEN WILL TAKE PART
New Equipment to Be Tried Out
in Protecting Seaboard
From Invaders

The General Headquarters Air Force,
spearhead Of the Nations air defense,
soon to be assembled in the North
eastern United States for one Of the
largest and most important tests in its
history, will be called on to work out
In the field means Of defense against
simulated attack on the United
States by a coalition of Asiatic and
European powers, the War Depart
ment announced today
Conditions surrounding the ma
neuvers are to be made as difficult as
possible to test every phase of the air
defense system. including communica-
tions, ground supplies and its power
to move quickly and sustain itself by
air transportation.
Under the simulated problem given
to Maj Gen. Frank M. Andrews, COM
mander Of the G. H. @. Air Force. by
the War Department, the attack from
Asia will be met in the Pacific by the
Navy. leaving defense of the Atlantic
seaboard to the air force.
200 Planes and 5000 Men.
Movement Of the squadrons, groups
and wings Of the Air Force into an
area extending from Maryland to
northern New York. and from the
Coast to the Pennsylvania mountains
will begin May /. More than 200 COM
bat airplanes of all types will be in
volved and more than 5000 officers
and men, with their supplies. will be
moved by air. involving a total Of
more than 100000 miles of flying.
The units will be based at 81 air
ports. where temporary camps will be
established and necessary installations
made. including a signal communica-
tions network
The tactical exercises and problems
will be concluded about May 20. when
units will begin return flights to home
stations in all parts of the country.
The largest single concentration Of
aircraft is expected to occur at
Mitchell Field. Long Island. May II,
when the more than 200 fighting air
planes composing the force will be
engaged there in special problem.
complete details for which are now
being worked out.
New Equipment in Test.
The War Department explained
that special items of new equipment
will be tried out. many for the first
time under field conditions. including
portable Photographic laboratories.
sealed-in air food containers. full
feathering propellers. photo-flash
bombs for night photography, field
wrecking truck. portable runway
lighting equipment. portable engine
servicing equipment, portable lifting
jacks for heavy bombers. field bomb
loading equipment. stabilizing drift
meters and navigation equipment and
portable field servicing and repair
unit.
1t is planned to fly several new
experimental airplanes from the Air
Corps experimental base, Wright Field,
Ohio, to the temporary airdromes of
the tactical units to give Air Corps
personnel an opportunity to observe
the new equipment. Among these
planes will be the Lockheed xC-35
substratosphere plane; the XB-15
Boeing bomber, largest land plane yet
built in this country and the latest
development in long-range lombard
ment aircraft; and the Bell multi
scatter fighter. carrying a crew Of five
and mounting aerial cannon.
New Type Planes.
The fighting squadrons in some
cases will be equipped with new types
Of airplanes delivered during the
past few months. which will be oper-
ating under field conditions for the
first time. Among these are the
Bit flying fortress" bombers, six
of which recently made a goodwill
flight to Buenos Aires and return
covering 1000 miles in SO hours; the
P-35 Seversky single-seater fighter, q
complete squadron OF which will be
available, and a large number of
Douglas Bib twin-engine bombers.
The maneuvers, which the War
Department said will be the most
realistic in the history Of American
military aviation, will involve use of
full fighting equipment on all air
planes in the working out Of such
problems as defense of the civil pop
ulation against air raids, use Of
warning nets, backing out Of ground
illumination, and combined air and
anti-aircraft defense cooperation.
Camouflaged airplanes will be used
frequently in the first employment Of
this protective device on large scale
In this country.