Evening star., 1941-10-14
Air Roid
Continued From First Page)

delphia and Wilmington and headed
down the bay toward Baltimore.
Well below Baltimore and about 40
miles southeast of Washington we
glimpsed some microscopic specks on
the horizon-five, no, six of them.
The amiable young giant at the con-
trolls forward grinned when I pointed
to them.
'Interceptors. the gunner shouted
into my ear. The pilot opened up
the throttles. Not all the way, but
enough to shove my head back
against the blister. We were really
travelling, but SO were the pursuits
boring up into a glitter of sunshine
from below.
The came on until We could see the
scarlet spinners on their propeller
hubs-the Red Devils from Boiling
Field.
The six attacking planes were
Airacobras from the 40th Pursuit
Squadron. They carried 37-milli-
meter cannon that fired through a
hollow propeller hub, and wing nests
of machine guns of heavy, medium
and light caliber. In fact, they we're
said to carry more fire power than
any single-seater in the world. I
had met these fighter pilots before.
Only Saturday I told their COM
mander, 1t. Fred NJ. Dean, whose
home base is Selfridge Field, Mich,
that I might see him some time in
the air over Washington.
I couldn't help but be thankful
that all this was in the friendliest
possible spirit, especially when the
six pursuits, which had mounted to
a position 1000 feet or so behind
and above us, strung out and began
to peel off, diving on our tails. Our
bombers were going along now, but
the fighters were faster.
Realistic Attack.
Plane after plane swept by. TIE
pilots were looking at us through the
sights of those cannon and shooting
high-explosive shells.
. There was something realistic
about the attack, although regula-
tions kept the fighters at safe dis
tance from our slip-streams
The fighters made three diving
attacks before they broke off and
slipped away for Boiling Field.
- Our bombers tried to outrun but
not to dodge the interceptors, as
they were under orders to fly direct
courses to aid the civilian spoilers
below.
I'VE outran one pursuit outfit over
Washington last Saturday." the
pilot shouted. They chased us
about 40 miles down the river, but
never got into attack position. We
really would have to shovel coal to
beat the fellows on our tails todayl'
Thus, it would appear, Washing
ton was saved again. 1t. Deans
squadron and another Is Airocobras
temporarily based at Aberdeen Prov
ing Grounds met five attacking
flights of bombers yesterday in the
Washington area, and probably will
meet an equal number today.
Tests to Continue.
The pursuit and bomber phase of
the vase exercises designed to test
military and civilian ground de-
fenseS up and down the Atlantic
Coast will continue today, tomor-
row and Thursday.
Our three bombers pulled in at
Langley before sunset and resumed
operations last night, while search
lights cut long swaths over the Vir-
ginia coast, anti-aircraft batteries
were trained on the sky and radio
detectors were on the alert to warn
of approaching raiders.
In view of the numerous intercept
tions around Washington, officers
said. the civilian warning system is
beginning to operate on an efficient
basis especially in view of the speed
at which the bombers strike.
The vast maneuver is in charge of
1t. Gen. DeloS G. Emmons, COM
mander of the Air Force Combat
Command.