Viewing page 9 of 69

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

38     U. S. AIR SERVICES      August, 1931 

[[image - line drawing of new Air Racing facility]]
[[caption]] NEW GRANDSTAND AND ADMINISTRATION BUILDING TO COST $100,000 WILL PLEASE THIS YEAR'S VISITORS AT THE NATIONAL AIR RACES TO BE HELD IN CLEVELAND FROM AUGUST 29 TO SEPTEMBER 7 [[/caption]]

National Air Races at Cleveland This Month
[[3 columns]]
[[column 1]]
ARMY AND NAVY participation in the 1931 National Air Races, at Cleveland Airport, August 29 to September 7, will be on the most extensive scale in the history of the event with 72 military planes in daily tactical maneuvers and formation flights. More than 100 planes of the military designation will be seen aloft on Army Day, Tuesday, September 1, when the entire First Pursuit Group, from Selfridge Field, Mich., opens festivities. The whole group is composed of 72 fighting planes. Half of the group will be at the races throughout the ten-day period, making daily flights, it has been announced by F. Trubee Davison, Assistant Secretary of War for Aeronautics.
A spectacular feature of the Navy's contribution to the air races this summer is the possible presence of the U.S.S. Akron, the world's largest airship. David S. Ingalls, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Aeronautics, informed the air race officials that the Akron would be ordered to fly over the races every day if the giant aircraft successfully passed test flights. Escorted by 36 Navy and Marine Corps planes, the Akron will make a special cruise over the races on Navy Day, on September 3, as an inaugural for special naval ceremonies. 
The Navy contingent consists of the "Striking Eagles," a crack unit of 12 fighting planes from the airplane carrier the U.S.S. Langley; 12 big twin-motored flying patrol boats and 12 U.S. Marine Corps planes from Quantico, Va. The patrol planes will fly in from the Atlantic Seaboard over an inland water route. [[/column 1]]
[[column 2]]
In announcing the tentative day-by-day schedule of [[underlined]] events at the races this year, E. W. ("Pop") Cleveland, race contest chairman, said that Co. Edward v. Rickenbacker, America's foremost ace in the World War, [[/underlined]] has accepted appointment as referee of the 1931 classic. [[underlined]] Colonel Rickenbacker is vice-president, director of sales of the Fokker Aircraft corporation. [[/underlined]] War aces duelists of the bright blue sky about whom thousands have read but whom have seen, will be at Cleveland this year. Outstanding among this colorful legion are Rickenbacker and Ernst Udet, known to his German squadron companions as "The Wasp," and a ranking German ace with 62 planes officially credited his accuracy.

Udet and four other famous foreign pilots well be seen daily at the races this year.

[[underlined]] LIEUT. ALFORD J. WILLIAMS American speed champion and former Navy pilot, will lead the International Team. He went abroad to invite foreign flyers to participate at Cleveland. [[/underlined]] Britain, Italy, Czecho-Slovakia and Poland Air Ministries have officially desig- [[/column 2]]
[[column 3]]
Races--the second fastest speed at which man has ever traveled. Flight Lieutenant Orlebar, his team mate, made the world's record speed of 357 plus miles an hour.

Color and dash will be lent the foreign group by Italy's selection. Gen Italo Balbo, Italian Aviation Head, has designated Comdr. Mario de Bernardi as Rome's exponent. Commander de Bernardi established a world speed record of 318.57 miles an hour in 1928 and he won the 1926 Schneider Cup Race at Hampton Roads, Va., at 258.87 miles an hour.

Capt. Boleslaw Orlinksi, Polish slyer who made a nonstop flight from Warsaw to Tokyo in 1926, will represent his homeland.

The Czecho-Slovakian Air Ministry has announced that that nation's finest military pilot will be sent to the races.

An international [[underlined]] feminine contingent [[/underlined]] was foreseen with the recent announcement by Capt. H. Spooner, of the [[underlined]] Montreal Light Aeroplane Club, that his sister, [[/underlined]] the famous Miss Winifred Spooner, would come to take part in the National Air Races, arriving from England in August. In 1929, Miss Spooner took third place in the famous King's Cup Race around Great Britain. Thea Rasche and Antonie Strassman, German women pilots, are expected to participate in the races as is Mrs. Keith-Miller, diminutive Australian ladybird.

[[underlined]] CONTEST CHAIRMAN CLEVELAND, in announcing the tentative day-by-day schedule of events, described [[/column 2]]