Evening star., 1939-07-30
Nations Have
Seen Results
Speeds Made
Increasing
Rapidly

Kelly and Macready set a new dis
tance mark of 1850 miles from San
Diego, Calf, to Fort Benjamin Har-
rison, Ind.
The year 1928 found the Air Serv-
ice beginning to spread its wings
outside the continental United
States. On April six Army air.
planes completed a flight to San
Juan. Puerto Rico, and return. The
flight paved the way for a fight
around the world the following year
two of the planes completed the
flight of 27,550 miles in ITS days.
Food and clothing were dropped
to marooned inhabitants of South
Fox Island Michigan. in April, 1928;
there has been scarcely year since
in which the Air Corps has not per-
formed similar relief work in the
United States and neighboring
countries.
The first maneuvers of the whole
Air Service were held in April. 1926,
and there were mustered a total Of
As officers, ST enlisted men and A
airplanes. This evidence of poverty
may have had its effect; the FIVE
year expansion program was passed
on the following July 2.
Good Will Flight.
The famous 20000-mile good will
flight around South America was
made by an Army formation In 1927
and on June 20 of that year Its.
Lester G. Maitland and Albert F.
Hegenberger completed the first
flight from the United States to
Hawaii. In 1928 the Air Corps won
the international balloon race and
permanent possession of the Gordon
Bennett Trophy.
A series of highly important tech
nical achievements began in 1929.
On August 81 Capt Albert w. Ste
vens photographed Mount Rainier
from distance of 227 miles; on Sep
tember "a 1t. James H. Doolittle
made blind landing and take-off.
This development was continued and
resulted. in May, 1882, in the worlds
first solo flight entirely by instru-
ments from take-of to landing, by
Capt. Hegenberger.
Continued development since has
resulted in entirely automatic land
lngs by radio control, without any
intervention on the part of the
pilot.
One of the most important Or
ganizational changes since the
World War came on December q,
1884. when the Secretary of War
approved the creation of the Cen
eral Headquarters Air Force and
1t. Col. Frank M. Andrews was des-
ignated as its first commander, first
with the rank of brigadier general
and later major general. This pro-
vided an independent striking force
"a veritable spearhead of air pow
er. The G. H. c. Air Force was
officially organized on March l, 1895.
Aeronautical research continued
to play an increasingly important
role in aviation progress in devel-
opment from 1885 on. In August,
1895, an Army plane made a long
flight using radio compass to con-
troi an automatic pilot, thus pro-
viding automatic radio navigation.
In the same month the first pres
sure cabin airplane for stratosphere
flying was delivered, winning for
the Air Corps the Collier Trophy.
After two years of research, two
wholly automatic landings were
made under adverse wind condi-
tions by Capts. Carl ]. Crane and
| George v. Holloman, Air Corps, and
Raymond K. Stout, project engi-
neer.
This is a brief summary of a few
OF the highlights of the 80 years
since the Army purchased its first
airplane; there are scores Of events
which could have been listed and
which have played their part in
air progress.
With the 30th anniversary, the
Air Corps has come to its greatest
expansion period since the World
War. The $300,000,000 program is
intended to provide $500 airplanes
and a total officer and enlisted per-
sonnel of $4,000, which will make
the Air Corps the largest arm ex-
cept Infantry in the modern war
establishment. Contracts for $780,
000,00 already have been signed for
combat airplanes and their engines
and accessories.