Evening star., 1946-05-20

Crowd al Army Show |
Marye|s as JET Planes
Roar By al 500 k.P.H.
The Army Air Forces showed off
its jet-propelled planes at National
Airport yesterday and thrilled more
than 100000 persons with the speed
and maneuverability of the craft.
Cries and gasps of establishment
from young and old greeted the
three P-30S-the Minimum Goose
piloted by Col. Bruce K. Holloway,
commanding officer of the 4l2
Fighter Group; Scout 10, piloted by
Maj Robin Olds, and Rousin' Rebel,
lplloted by lst 1t. Lacey Newman
as they passed a little more than
100 feet above the reviewing stand.
Even greater shouts of amazement
were heard later in the show when
the planes, shooting at more than
500 miles an hour almost vertically
into the sky, left a trail of black
Splrallng smoke in the sound track
that invariably followed the path
of the machines.
The aWareneSS of sound coming
after the plane was perhaps the most
astonishing effect to crowd accus-
toned to the reverse order of things.
Spectators Arrive Early.
The festive crowd began arriving
at 1890 am, cars quickly filling
available spaces at the airport and
spilling over into places not usually
set aside for autos. 1t was family
as well as a sweetheart and sight
seeing throng, with every one out
for a good time on a perfect spring
day.
Camera enthusiasts were con-
spicuous as they lodged here and
there and ran from vantage point
to vantage point to take shots of
the planes and crowds. But the
jet-propelled planes in motion had
them stumped. They're gone be-
fore you have time to snap the
shutter" was common complaint.
The crowd was also thrilled by
the antics of Fairchild C82, THE
Flying Boxcar" as it is affectionately
known to the men who fly them
These machines, having a cruising
speed of about 200 miles per hour.
provide maintenance for the spec
tacular P-80s. They carry $4,000
pounds of equipment, including en-
gines.
Highly Maneuverable Ships.
The Flying Boxcar" that went
into the air yesterday demonstrated
how it can maneuver with the
engine "feathered," a difficult feat
for craft of its size. Though
the plane appeared to be moving
in slow motion fashion after the
startling speed of the P-80s, itI
thrilled the crowd with twists and
sudden turns almost unbelievable |
in machine that seemed to be
made of shining truck with wings
and propeller.
Another feature of the show was
the rapid changing of the motor in
one of the P-80s. The crew took
out one motor and installed another
in less than a half-hour.
Following the show, the crowd
was allowed to swarm over the field,
within proper limits, and inspect
the 20 P-80s and the six C-82s.
At the opening of the show, Maj.
Gen. Elwood r. Quesada, command |
ing general of the Tactical Air Com
mand, welcomed the throng and ex-
planned some of the qualities of the
P-80s. He said the machines now
approach the speed of sound in
their flight and can 90 up to 10000
to $4,000 feet. mo one knows how
fast the planes can go as they have
not been let out to their maximum
speed" the general said.
Gen. Quesada said he came up from
Nashville, Tenn, yesterday morning
in one hour and 10 minutse, an
average speed of $50 miles an hour |
The other P-80s made the trip in
approximately the same time. The
Flying Boxcars" left before the
lighter planes and arrived at the
field in time to service their faster |
charges.
Spaatz and Eaker Attend.
The show dramatized postwar ad-
vances in military aviation for Gen.
Carl Spaatz, AAF chief, and 1t.
Gen. Ira C. Eaker, deputy comman-
der, both of whom welcomed the |
flyers shortly after their arrival.
The group started Wednesday from
March Field, Calf, on a flight |
whose official purpose was testing
the mobility of such group and
working out long range mainte-
nance and supply problems. The
group is scheduled to leave May %
for Chanute Field, ILL.,, the first leg
of the return flight
The Army's newest fighter, the
P-80 set transcontinental record
in January with 2,470-mile fight |
in hours and IL minutes. Capt. |
John S. Babel, who was on sim
liar flight that bridged the two
coasts in 4 hours and % minutes,
said the trip seemed like "a short |
day"
Il got up at $50 am, and
took off from Long Beach, Calf, at
10 am.," he explained After 4
hours and % minutes I arrived at
La Guardia Field in the dark"
Col. Holloway, leader of the group,
told Gen. Spaatz and other AAF
officials the jet plane is twice as
good" as the acknowledgement
fighter he piloted in shooting down
13 Japanese planes.
Rites for Charles Gardner |