Evening star., 1942-07-02
BY NELSON M. SHEPARD,
Star Staff Correspondent.

SOMEWHERE ON THE MIDDLE
ATLANTIC SEABOARD, July q
There's nothing like it in either
Germany or England" Col. Sted-
man S. Hanks of the Army Air
Forces, who originated the military
flight strip" exclaimed yesterday
as a giant Flying Fortress landed
lightly on broad ribbon Of con-
crete connecting two highways in a
strategic area Of this exposed coast
A few minutes later. the 22-ton,
four engine bomber piloted by 1t.
Col. Dale O. Smith, again roared
along the 5000 feet of runway in
takeoff accomplished more easily,
perhaps, than would have been pos
sible from Langley or Mitchell
Fields. Other types Of combat
planes, large and small. followed
in the wind wash Of the Bit to the
complete satisfaction of group of
aviation officers and Federal road
officials from Washington.
1t was a flawless demonstration
of putting to practical use the
Army Air Forces No. flight strip,
designed and built in conjunction
with the Public Roads Administra-
ton as dispersal area in the event
of threatened air attack and as an
auxiliary landing field for military
aircraft. Various types OF planes,
including two-engine attack
bomber piloted by Maj. Carlos J.
Cochrane, crack Army flyer re-
Gently awarded the Distinguished
Service Cross, had assembled for
the demonstration.
Built Ahead of Schedule.
This first flight strip is located
about 20 minutes flying time from
one OF the countrys largest air
bases. It was completed IS days
ahead of contract schedule of IS
days. In time, under a $4,000, 600
authorization of which $5,000,000 is
now available, these auxiliary land
ing fields will dot the coastal areas
of the United States from Maine to
Florida and from Alaska to south
ernmost California.
The formal opening of the No.
strip was an occasion of genuine
celebration in this Middle Atlantic
region a few miles from a coast
that already has had its toll OF sub
marine raids on merchant and fish,
ing craft. Representatives of the
Governor and the State Highway
Commissioning tell their names
might give away the area-were in
terested spectators. They all had
had a hand in the construction. A
Signal Corps reporting company for
the aircraft warning system nearby,
an important adjunct to the flight
strip, also attended to get f1rst-hand
experience.
The Washington party left Boiling
Field In an Army transport plane
and picked up other officers at
Langley Field. Included were Col.
Horace w. Shelmire, executive as
sistant to 1t. Gen. H. H. Arnold,
commanding the Army Air Forces;
Commissioner Thomas H. MacDon-
old of the Public Roads Administra-
ton; Fred E. schnepfe, admins
trative assistant, Federal Works
Agency; Col. Robert T. Cronau
executive ofncer of Langley Field
and others.
Strip 5000 Feet Long.
During the flight the plane passed
nlgn over the No. 2 project of the
new program, located In a vital de.
tense area. It will soon be COM
pleted. Col. Hanks, project of1cer
Tor the fight strip program, pointed
to a silver thread of concrete several
Thousand feet below as the plane ap-
proached its final destination From
lower altitude the project was re-
VeaIed In perfect pattern.
The strip is 5000 feet lono .nd
over 500 feet wide, with a runway
1000 feet by $50 feet paved with
concrete inches thick. On each
sloe are stabilized shoulders that
eventually will be seeded. These
shoulders, as demonstrated yester-
day, are capable of handling the
largest bombers now flown by the
Army Air Forces.
Concrete roads of ample width
connect the runway with a main
highway and secondary road. The
cost OF strip of this type is ap-
proximately 100000, a fraction of
the cost Of a modern Army airfleld.
About 80 OF them are now in course
Of planning.
To go back to Col Hanks excla-
nation. In this respect, the United
States is long Jump ahead of both
Germany and ENGLAND British atr