Evening star., 1938-12-10
Facilities for Shows
And Exhibits Urqed
AT Grave||y Point
Housing Of Aircraft
Collection at Field
Also Sought

Provision of facilities at the WASH
ington National Airport, Gravelly
Point, for the holding of national
aircraft shows and the permanent
housing there of the aircraft collec-
ton of the Smithsonian Institution
will be requested by local aeronauti-
cal organizations, it was learned
today.
Selection of personnel represent
ing the four Federal agencies in
charge of the airport project to COM
pose the Washington National Air
port Committee, which will be in
actual charge of the construction of
the $9,88O, 900 airport, now is being
completed
The committee is expected to hold
hearings in the near future on de-
tailed design plans for the airport
and its equipment and facilities.
Members of the Aero Club Of
Washington, the Board of Trade
Aviation Committee, the Washing
ton Air Derby Association. the Ma
tional Air Line Pilots Association
and similar organizations will be
asked to submit recommendations
for the airport project in all its de-
tails, according to present plans.
Suggested Items.
Among the most important items
to be presented by spokesmen for
the various local groups, it is under
stood, will be the following:
l. Provision of permanent housing
for the Smithsonian Institutions
aeronautical collection, now so badly
housed that much valuable material
cannot be shown. The collection is
scattered through the Arts and In
dustries Building and in sheet-iron
structure behind the Smithsonian
Building For lack of adequate space,
the Navy NC-4. first airplane to fly
the Atlantic, cannot be shown in its
entirety. The hull is on view in Air
craft Building, but the wings and
engines are in storage in Alexan-
dria, Va. and Philadelphia. Much
other valuable material also is in
storage. 1t is believed that if ade-
quate space were provided, the
Smithsonian collection would grow
rapidly as result of private dona-
tions of material which now are
withheld because of the already
overcrowded condition of the pres
ent material.
2. Designing of the hangers so that
they may be used not only for
routine airport operations, but so
that they may be prepared, by being
joined together temporarily, perhaps,
for national aviation exhibits. Since
the earliest days of aviation, Wash
ington never has housed a national
aircraft show, it was recalled.
Laboratory Relocation.
3. Possible relocation of the ST.
10000 highway research laboratory
of the Bureau of Public Roads, now
nearing completion on a site over
looking the airport. These buildings,
rising to height of 11O feet above
the river, have been criticized by
various aviation groups and members
OF congress dS a potential menace
to airplanes operating from the new
airport.
4. Development of the triangular
area at the upstream end of the air.
port site, between the Virginia shore
and the Potomac River Channel, ex-
tending nearly to the railroad
bridge, as marine basin for sea-
planes and flying boats. Use of this
basin as yacht basin, with seaplane
facilities at the downstream end of
the airport also has been suggested.
The committee will be asked to
give careful consideration to all
phases of the engineering design of
the new airport with a view to its
development as world model for
close-in air terminals.