Evening star., 1951-04-28
15He|icopters
Fly Over City in
Biggest Display
Croft Show Progress
Of Industry; Flight
Due to Be Repeated
By W. H. Shippen

The big fans of IS helicopters
beat the air over Washington to-
day in a mass demonstration of an
industry which has come a long
way since war broke out in Korea.
Strung out in a column of twos
and threes. rotary-wing aircraft of
half a dozen types made a low
altitude tour of Washington and
its suburbs while astonished resi-
dents paused to watch the strange
procession.
The big Marine flying ba-
nanas," with rotors at each end,
flew beside light two -seaters which
resembled goldfish bowls hung
under egg beaters. It was the
largest demonstration of its type
ever seen in this country.
The Marine assault craft in
which we rode today was low
enough at times to bring the
startled actions, if not the ex-
Ipressions of spectators into view.
We watched and took pictures
through an open door while the
'copter lowered, reversed direction,
rose almost vertically or cruised
with the squadron.
To Be Repeated Tomorrow.
Ten of the helicopters, of vari-
Gus types developed for the Ma
rines. Navy, Army and Coast
Guard. landed on a narrow strip
of land at the end of Hams Point
for a static display prior to
military demonstration this after
noon at Anacostia Naval Air
Station.
After the sky parade, the air.
craft descended into preassigned
positions in three neat parking
rows on the point. Today's pro-
gram will be repeated tomorrow.
weather permitting.
This mornings cloud layer at
some 1,500 feet proved no handi-
cap to the demonstration.
A Coast Guard air-sea rescue
demonstration was put on just OF
Hams Point shortly before noon.
and the program at Anacostia
this afternoon will illustrate the
wide utility to which helicopters
are being put in combat in Korea.
Navy Plans Demonstration.
This performance has proved
SO satisfactory that the entire out
put of half a dozen leading manu-
facturers has been booked by the
military services and production
| is being stepped up in all plants.
Demonstrations today and to-
morrow are part of the four-day
annual forum of the American
Helicopter Society here.
The Navy this afternoon is to
demonstrate four types of hell
copters used for water rescues
from carriers. anti-submarine
scouting, liasion and various other
duties.
The Army is to show how
wounded are evacuated from
Korea battle fronts, sometimes
under fire. Another helicopter
will lay wire for field commune
cations. '''
The Marine Helicopter Squad
ron One. from the base at nearby
Quantico, will demonstrate the
landing of assault troops in an
amphibious attack. The helicop-
ters are faster and less vulnerable
to enemy fire than the assault
boats of World War II, it was
said.
Woman Watcher Is Startled.
The Marines also will demon.
strate how large pieces of equip
ment, like howitzers, can be
transported with the aid of power
winches installed in the twin
motor types.
The Coast Guard is to make an
additional demonstration of how
men stranded in the water can
be hoisted into a lowering hell
|copter.
The air parade this morning
passed up the Anacostia River.
circled over Silver Spring and
Bethesda, and swung West to re-
turn down the Potomac Valley.
Some of the 'copters were. much
lower than the tops of radio and
television towers on the hills
around Washington.
While the flight was in progress,
a woman telephoned The Star
from Bethesda to say "the sky is
full of helicopters out here" She
was a bit uncertain at first as
to whether they belonged to a
friendly nation.
Are they ours or theirs?" she
asked.