Evening star., 1940-01-21

Continues at Urge
OF the President
Chief Executive Views
All Types Of Military
Planes at Boiling
Because President Roosevelt was
so pleased with the aircraft ex-
hibit yesterday at Boiling Field the
Army Air Corps at his suggestion to-
day has extended public visiting
through Wednesday. Bundled up
against freezing winds from oil the
Potomac River, the Chief Executive
made a first-hand inspection of the
Army's latest war planes.
Guided by Brig. Gen. George H.
Brett, chief of the Division of Ma
teriel, the President and Secretary
of War Woodring viewed the mil
lions of dollars worth of equip
ment assembled here from many
parts of the country.
After spending an hour going over
examples of the Nations air de-
fenses, the President expressed a
hope the exhibit would be contin-
ued so the general public could get
an idea of what was being done
with the money appropriated by
Congress for the Air Corps. Today
the exhibit will be open from noon
to 6 pm, and for the next three
days the public will be admitted
from 2 pm. to 6 pm.
Views Over zoo Planes.
Mr.. Roosevelt viewed more than
200 planes on the three-quarter- mile
line which included types ranging
from the smallest trainer ship to the
largest multi motored bomber.
However, he expressed particular in
terest in the exhibits housed in two
hangers. He piled Gen. Britt with
questions, particularly relating to
new propeller types, engines and
control boards.
Arranged to show Congress what
the civilian is getting for its money
in the $500, ,000, 900 voted last spring
for air expansion, the exhibit has
more than $10,000,000 in equipment
lined up for public view. From a
scientific and experimental point of
view, one guide said that $4,000, 900
could not cover costs of the material
assembled here.
Every item in the exhibit "enters
in some way into the equipment of
standard Air Corps airplane and
the carrying out of a military mis-
sion," the official program said.
Warning About Espionage.
An amusing sidehght to the ex-
hibit is the prominent display of g.
foot signs warning visitors of the
penalties for violation of the Espion-
age Act. Quotations from the act
warned that pictures should not be
made, gadgets should not be han
died and one should not be too
curious about what's behind the cur
tains. Still, during the six days the
assembled display is open to view
thousands Of persons will see what is
claimed to be the Nations most mod
ern aircraft equipment. The catch
is simple. What the Air Corps
doesn't want the public to see
isn't there.
Early yesterday Secretary of the
Treasury Morgenthau, Federal Loar
Administrator Jones, members o1
Congress and other Government Of.
f1cials had a preview Of the show
before it was opened to the public
The exhibit in hangar No. / in.
cludes outstanding examples o.
combat planes together with tn.
latest type Of aircraft ordnance
There is also a production engi'
neering exhibit. In hangar No.
are exhibits dealing with accesso.
ries. Here, instruments Of all types
aircraft engines, propellers, flight
clothing, parachutes and q multi
tude of "gadgets" are arrayed in {
long line through the hangar.
All Types Of Planes Shown.
On the line in front Of the hangar.
are primary training, basic and ad'
vanced training, observation, am
phibian, Photographic, pursuit ane
bombardment planes. Except TO
the training planes, all ships ar
camouflaged.
One of the outstanding attrac
tions Of the visit is the Bell Aero
cobra, built in Buffalo, N. Y, b!
the Bell Aircraft Co.
This new pursuit ship, designated
as P-3e, is capable Of more thar
400 miles an hour. It was fiowl
here from Buffalo this week in les
than one hour. The flight distance
is over 800 miles.
Also attracting attention is tn
now-famous flying fortress. Over
shadowing small pursuit ships ant
training planes snuggled under 1t
wings like a brood of chicks, 1t i
located in hangar No. l.