Evening star., 1961-05-25
Congress Acts
In Disputeon
inflated Plane
BY the Associated Press

Representative FLOOD, Demo-
crat of Pennsylvania, said to-
day he has asked the Navy to
halt the transfer of Capt.
Cooper B. Bright until Congress
can investigate Capt. Bright's
dispute with certain admirals
over an inflatable plane project
called Wagmight.
Mr.. Flood, member of the
House subcommittee handling
defense appropriations, told a
reporter he has so written to
Navy Secretary Connally.
He said he told Mr.. Connally
the veteran Navy captains
transfer should be set aside
until such time as responsible
congressional committees can
examine the project further on
its merits" and until it can be
determined whether the trans
fer could be attributed to this
operation"
Chairman Vinson Of the
House Armed Services Commit
tee and Representative Co.
helan, Democrat Of California,
a committee member, have
written separate letters to Con-
nally asking for an explanation.
Destroyed Data
The 52-year-old Capt. Bright,
who once headed a Navy-indus-
try study of the inflatable plane
concept, said yesterday that on
orders from superiors last No
vember he destroyed data on a
new version designed for q
vertical take-off from virtually
any kind Of ship.
At the same time, he said,
he was directed to talk to no.
body about the matter-an
order he said was relaxed in
February to allow off-duty con-
versations.
Capt. Bright contended the
novel inflatable plane idea was
suppressed. He attributed this
to some admirals who he said
feared it posed a threat to the
ft,f1tra af norriare
During testimony before
House committees last year.
Capt. Bright clashed with Vice
Admiral John T. Hayward,
deputy chief Of naval opera
tions for development. Admiral
Hayward said he rejected the
project and defended his ac-
ton as "a sound technical de-
ciSion."
Makes New Pitch
Capt. Bright said that during
this time he was told by Ad-
miral James S. Russell, vice
chief of naval operations, to
stop pushing the project.
The Navy had no comment
yesterday on Capt. Bright's
charges.
The balding. heavy-set cap
tain said that last month
three days after making a
formal new pitch for the prof.
ect to Mr.. Connally and Ad-
miral Arleigh A. Burke, chief Of
naval operations-he was Or
dered to report in June to a
new post as inspector of Navy
material in San Francisco.
Capt. Bright regards this as
signment as just about the end
of the line.
He now is attached to Navy's
logistic war plans branch.
where he was moved more than
a year ago after being relieved
as project officer on the in
1laJaDle plane SCuQy.
Capt. Bright said he decided
to make a presentation-on
what he said was a promising
vertical takeoff aspect of the
inflatable plane concept-after
hearing Mr.. Connally tell Navy
and Marine officers Ito move
your ideas out in the open with
boldness and courage"
Proposed Memorandum
Attached to that presenta-
ton. a copy Of which was made
available to reporter, was
proposed memorandum to Sec
retary of Defense Mcnamara.
It said of the inflatable plane:
In event Of a surprise nu-
clear attack 1t could make the
United States sufficiently
strong that it could still re-
taliate from hidden, moving
and invulnerable bases with
devastating power.
The limited war forces
could be strengthened with this
new type of vertical and short
take-off aircraft"
At issue is a proposal for de-
velopment of plane body,
made of a fabric much like an
automobile tire, which would be
inflated and its turboprop en-
gines and other gear installed.
It's hackers say it would fly at
more than 325 miles an hour
and have a 1,100-mile range.
Advocates of = the idea say
that where 80 metal planes now
are stored on a big aircraft car
rier. an estimated 1000 Of the
fabric bodies could be stored in
deflated condition, with their
equipment nearby.