Evening star., 1948-12-18
Planes Tripping Speed
OF Sound Predicted by|
Bell at Aero Dinner |


Bell at Aero Dinner
Speeds more than triple that Of
sound were predicted here last
night by the manufacturer who
built Americas first supersonic air
craft.
Enough was learned from the
rocket-powered flying laboratory
XII. according to Lawrence D. Bell,
to open an entirely new frontier
OF flight" at speeds heretofore un-
known.
The president Of Bell Aircraft
Corp. of Buffalo, N. Y, told some
700 guests at the Aero Club of
Washington's annual dinner in the
Hotel Statler that the necessary
power plants are at hand and sta
bility and control at really high
speeds already have been achieved" !"
ME-. Bell, who was one of three
men to receive the coveted Golfers
Trophy from President Truman yes
terday for their work in breaking
the sonic barrier, discussed the
known records of present aircraft
while pointing out that "the capabil-
tiles Of late military models are
concealed for reasons of military
security"
Bell Tells Of Work.
Addressing the clubs celebration
OF the 45th anniversary of the first
flight by the Wright brothers, Mr.
Bell told how his company had
worked with the National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics and Air
Force technicians and pilots to pro-
ouce and prove the supersonic air.
craft.
Honor guests also were the CO.
winners of the Golfers Trophy
John Stack, NACA scientist who
helped work out the aerodynamic
problems, and Capt. Charles Yeager,
USAF, who few the XII at speeds
greater than sound at Muroc Test
Center in the Southern California
desert last fall.
Meanwhile, Gen. Hoyt S. Vanden-
berg, Air Force chief of staff, called
the high-speed flights of the XII
the greatest achievement in avia-
ton" since the early flights of the
Kitty Hawk.
Speaking at Golfers luncheon
yesterday at the Wardman Park
Hotel, Gen. Vandenberg lauded the
three men who achieved the Collier
Trophy yesterday from President
Truman,
Mr.. Bell. within security limits,
recited few of the difficulties in
building the XII. There was no
known fuel pump. for example, to
handle liquid oxygen at minus 800
degrees, nor commercial containers
strong enough to hold gases at
4,5O0 pounds pressure per square
inch.
Lacked Speed Indicator.
There were no known air speed
indicators to clock the high veloci-
ties expected, although exact knowl-
edge was essential to the safety of
test pilots. Nor was an altimeter
available to measure the height at
which the XII was to operate.
Mr.. Bell, whose company also
built the first jet-propelled aircraft
IN this country, said the XII was
designed to take off under its own
power, but later 1t was decided to
drop the experimental plane from
the belly of B-29 in the interest
of safety and fuel economy.
Perhaps the most significant
thing about the XII" Mr.. Bell said,
"is the fact that the airplane has
been flown many, many times in
the subsonic, transonic and super
sonic ranges in its original config-
uration without single change"
The newly established Wright
Brothers Memorial Trophy was
awarded for the first time last night.
The initial recipient was DR.. Will
liam Frederick Durand, SO, dean of
American aviation engineers, who
lives at Stanford University, Calf.
Helped Develop Jets.
DR.. Durand, who has made nu-
merous contributions to the science
of aeronautics since the turn of the
century, played an important role
in the development of jet propul-
sion plants in the United States
during the last war.
The annual Frank G. Brewer
Award was made to Philip S. Hop
kins Of Binghampton, N. Y, for
timely achievement in the field OF
air youth education"
Music was furnished by the Naval
Academy Band.
Special guests included 55 men,
bers of the Early Birds, pioneer
aviators, all of whom piloted bal
looms or airplanes prior to 1916.
The old-timers came to Washington
from all parts of the country to
attend the celebration on the ami
versary of the first flight.
Other Guests.
Other guests included: Thomas
Beck, chairman of the board of Col
lier's Magazine; DR.. Alexander Wet
more, secretary of the Smithsonian
Institution; Jerome Fancuilli, found
ing member of the Aero Club of
Washington; DR.. j. c. Hunsaker,
chairman of NACA; Brig. Gen.
Frank Lahm, president of the Early
Birds; Maj. Gen. Oliver P. Echols,
president of Aircraft Industries As
sociation; Arthur Riley of Boston,
president of Aviation Writers Asso-
citation.
John r. Alison, Assistant Secre-
tary of Commerce for Aeronautics
Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Chief of
Staff of the Air Force: John Victory,
NACA; Maj. Gen. E. M. Powers,
Vice Admiral John Dale Price, dep
uty chief of naval operations for
air; Admiral Emory S. Land, presi-
dent of Air Transport Association;
DR.. Herman Shaw of the National
Air Museum.
DR.. Paul CARRIER, curator of the
National Air Museum; w. A. Patter-
son, president of United Air Lines;
M. P. Ferguson, president of Bendix
Aviation Corp; Brig. Gen. Donald
Yates, DR.. Fred Reichlederfer, chief