Evening star., 1948-11-23
Kitty Hawk Arrives;
Hailed as Greatest
Aviation treasure

Hailed as the greatest Of all avi-
alton treasures" the Kitty Hawk
plane, in which the Wright brothers
made their first flight, arrived yes
terday at the Smithsonian 1nstitu-
ton, where it will be enshrined, and
was welcomed with civic ceremony
and music by three military bands.
The fragile plane arrived packed
In three crates in which it had been
shipped from the Kensington Mu-
scum in London. Orville Wright sent
it there 20 years ago because the
Smithsonian Institution refused to
recognize the Wrights' claim to have
made the worlds first heavier-than-
air flight. Instructions found in Mr.
Wrights papers after his death di-
rected that the plane be returned
to America.
William p. MacCracken, holder Of
Civil Aeronautics Administration
pilots license No. l and first chief
of the Division of Civil Air Com
merce, Commerce Department, said
the return of the Kitty Hawk
"epitomizes American love of JUS
tice" and demonstrates that "even-
tually, deserved recognition is given
to those who deserve it, although
that recognition is somewhat de-
layed."
On Exhibit December II.
The Smithsonian Institution will
assemble the tiny craft and place 1t
on exhibition December II, the 45th
anniversary of the historic fight.
The institution now recognizes the
flight of the Kitty Hawk as the
first successfully made by heavier
than-air craft.
The ceremonies yesterday were
held on the steps Of the Freer Gal
lery of Art on the Mall. Leon
Chatelain, jr, president of the
Board Of Trade, delivered the city's
official welcome on behalf Of the
Commissioners.
The scheduled flight of four air.
planes of the Civil Air Patrol above
the scene was Cancelled because OF
bad weather, but a Coast Guard
ielicopter few in from Kitty Hawk,
N. c., and landed on the Mall to
deliver a message.
Etheridge Message Read.
Capt. Richard L. Burke, COM
manding the Aviation Division Of
the Coast Guard, read the message
from A. D. Etheridge, who while
attached to the Kill Devil Life
Saving Station assisted the Wright
brothers in getting the plane into
the air The message told how Mr..
Etheridge and other men Of the
station helped the Wrights roll out
the plane for the epochal flight,
and continued:
Finally they decided to try the
fight and went up, just the wav
you've been told. Then they talked
matters overflow delighted they
were in what they had done and
were expecting to try it out again
right then and there, when q little
gust Of wind came up and just
blew the machine over, so they gave
up right then and there and
packed .up and went home. They
said they were well satisfied with
what they had done"
Mr.. Etheridge related how the
Wrights took the motor with them,
but gave him the wings, which he
later sold for $25.
"And right then and there is when
I lost fortune" the message
concluded.
Arranged Ceremony.
Arrangements for the ceremonies
here were made by 1t. Col. M. e.
Tyrrell, commanding offlcer Of the
National Capital Wing, Civil Air
Patrol, and Major Woodrow w.
Dickey, Air Force liaison officer for
the wing.
Miss Norma Howard, soprano, Of
the Metropolitan Opera Company,
sang "The Star Spangled Banner"
accompanied by the Army Band.
Represented at the ceremonies
were the American Legion Guard OF
Honor, the Veterans of Foreign Wars
Guard Of Honor, color guards from
the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine
Corps, Coast Guard and Boy Scouts;
the Air Transport Association, the
Air Line Pilots Association, the
Commerce Department, the Ninety
Miners, Women Pilots Of America,
the Air Force Association, Aircraft
Owners and Pilots Association, the
National Advisory Committee on
Aeronautics and the Early Birds, an
of "old timer" American
pilots.
John Ball of the National Capital
Wing was master Of ceremonies.