Evening star., 1943-01-01
BY WALTER McCALLUM.

SAA coAAA VA 2lctAAlC dllO oGCCA 0lOlUs
Sees Plane Base.
I was permitted to visit a biz
flying field, not far from an i'm.
portant Eastern city, where are based
many of the interceptor planes which
will form the spearhead of the at
tack on any enemy afraid attempt.
Many Of the carefully dispersed
planes stood in camouflaged spots
ready for takeoff. Pilots lounged
in the ready" room. Keen-faced
youngsters In heavy flying boots
needed only split-second notice to
fling heavily armed ships high into
the blue.
The ships at this Army Air Force
field are Of the latest types, now
proving their worth in Africa and
other places in the world. The Ger
mans know about them. So do the
Japs. "It doesn't take long to get
away upstairs" said an Air Force
lieutenant. Then, of course, there
are other things" He meant the
constant air patrol.
Life preserver of the airman in his
parachute. No Army flyer takes off
without his parachute pack. Engine
failure or any mechanical failure
and he takes to "the silk" In the
packing room at this airfield hung
the chute used by Maj. Gen. Jimmy
Doolittle of Toxic bombing fame
In a jump from disabled ship
which saved his life sometime before
he went over TO harass the Japs.
The chutes are packed far more
carefully than Christmas packages.
I'VE have not had a chute failure
In the Air Corps" said L. M. Artz,
IN charge of the parachute depart
ment at this fighter airfeld.
Must Be Perfect.
Over the door Of the packing de-
partment, within which these So
foot life savers are examined and
repacked every go days, is an ad-
monition. The parachute is life
saving device. which may be- called
upon at any time to function prop
erly and quickly to save human
life, sand in order to, do so must be
in perfect condition" it reads.
when inspecting and packing
parachutes, do not neglect to make
any repair, no mater how small it
may be. Such phrases as good
enough or I guess it will do will
not be used In this department.
There is only one phrase which
may be applied to this type of work,
and that is, 1T must be right"
Officers at this airfield take a
refresher course at periodic inter-
walls to insure their physical condi-
ton. 1t may not be as tough a
course as that at the Ranger
Schools Of the Army of the United
States, but it is tough enough. All
arms, gas masks and every other
essentials of immediate airfield de-
fense are periodically inspected.
Slit trenches dot the landscape. The
enemy's first objective in other at
tacks has been the airfelds. The
men at the airfields defending the
Eastern Seaboard won't be caught
mapping.
An anti-aircraft installation was
located In a park, not far from
where youngsters played on grassy
slopes, in the middle of a heavily
populated area. The lieutenant in
charge pulled no punches in show
Ing me the "non-restricted" instru-
ments and guns. I looked through
the eyeholes of stereoscopic
height finder. 1t brought the build
Ing on which it was trained so
close that automa tically I leaned
out to touch the roof. THAT roof
corner is 1886 yards away, SIR" said
the sergeant, raw-boned young
ster with the mark of Texas on
him.
Not far away in a camoufaged
position stood the mechanical brain,
heart OF the entire installation.
The Mechanical Brain,
This DEVICE" said the lieutenant
can be called mechanical brain. >
Its efficiency is uncanny. Watch
that gum" he said. Up from the
sand bags of another position 10C
yards away the slim steel snout of q
big anti-aircraft gun nosed into the
air. elevating and turning at the
same time. I asked the lieutenant
who was operating the gun. No men
were visible.
1T is operated automatically,
said the lieutenant. This machine ;
Che placed his hand on the me.
chanical brain) automatically com.
putes the future position of the tar.
get and mechanically trains the CUR
lon the target
DO you mean it is all done au-
dramatically; that there are no mer
moving the elevating and traversine
apparatus?" asked.
NO." he said. 1T is all done BY
this machine here. And the entire
operation can be swung into manua
operation, so that our gun crews car
keep the gun in operation"
In the gun pit well trained CUR
crew Slid the nose of the shell intt
an electrically operated fuse cutter
How many rounds a minute?"
asked the lieutenant.
cant tell you, Sir, he said. "Bu
maybe you can guess" It was fas
enough. The gun crew was on tn.
ball, and If they see action they'll
toss plenty Of steel and lead at en-
emy planes.
| Not far away stood a motorized
generator. The Army and the anti
aircraft artillery command provides
| its own power. It cannot taxi
chances on disruption Of public
Iservices, such as electricity.
Gunners Lead" Target.
| The mechanical brain Is q mar
velous instrument. An airplane
flying at $50 miles an hour, must b
lied" as q flying duck Is lied" BY