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998     AVIATION    September 15, 1924

Reserve Officers Camp at W. Wright Field

The two weeks Reserves Officers' Camp at Wilbur Wright Field, Fairfield, Ohio, furnished valuable experience in Air Service work to the men who pursue their regular vocations in civil life and have pledged themselves to answer the call to military duty when the emergency arises.  Most of the work was carried on at the Wilbur Wright Field, although several trips made to McCook Field from time to time.

A total of 128 Reserve Officers were in attendance, including Lieut. Col. Courtney P. Grover, Maj. Alfred Campbell, 17 captains, 29 first lieutenants and 80 second lieutenants.  Colonel Grover of the Medical Corps, who formerly resided at the National Military Home at Dayton, Ohio, where he

[[image - photograph]]]]
[[caption]] Maj. Wm. Hensley (right), C.O. of Mitchel Field, with Lieut. S. M. Connell, ready to take off and broadcast by radio from a DH4B [[/caption]]

was surgeon in charge, was also for a time the post commander of the local organization of the American Legion in Dayton.  Major Campbell and the Captains are all Air Service officers, with the single exception of Allen Coburn, who has a commission in the Medical Dept.  All of the Lieutenants are Air Service Reserve Officers, most of them being pilots.

The Reserve Officers assisted the Regular Officers at Wilbur Wright Field wherever they could do so; for example, they were assigned as Officers of the Day thus relieving the regular officers of that duty.  They also assisted in various other capacities in connection with flying operations and engineering activities.  The Reserve Officers who were given special assignments were as follows: Maj. C. Alfred Campbell, Asst. Commandant; Capt. John L. Reymiller, Executive; Capt. John E. Davis, Camp Adjutant; 2nd Lieut. Ralph D. Penland, Asst. Camp Adjutant; Capt. Wm. F. Center, Operations Officer; 1st Lieut. Geo. W. Vawter, Asst. Operations Officer; Capt. Karl F. Burckhart, Engineer Officer; 1st Lieut. Frank L. Clewers, Asst. Engineer Officer; 1st Lieut. Richard M. Harnett, Asst. Supply Officer; 1st Lieut. Glenn D. Horn, Asst. Supply Officer; Capt. John Ebaugh, Asst. Athletic Officer; 2nd Lieut. Ulment R. Hall, Asst. Athletic Officer; Capt. C. J. Cleary, Officer in Charge Ground Instructions; 1st Lieut. Ed. R. King, Asst. to Officer in Charge of Ground Instruction; 2nd Lieut. Ralph G. Lockwood, Alert Pilot; Capt. Albert A. Price, Officer in Charge of Aerial Gunnery; 2nd Lieut. Thomas G. Hughes, Camp Transportation Officer.

Parachute Saves Another Pilot

While stunt flying some 4,000 ft. over Kelly Field an aileron blew off Lieutenant Crawford's scout plane and in spite of every effort to keep the ship level it gradually worked into a spin. Seeing that he could not control the ship the Lieutenant scrambled over the lower side and let go. The chute opened almost immediately and though there was a 20 mi. wind blowing the flier escaped without injury.

As this is the second time within a month that a Kelly Field pilot has been saved by the use of a chute even some of the old timers are becoming reconciled to the order which makes the carrying of a life pack compulsory.


Record for Flying Time During 1923

The Air Service News Letter states that it has learned informally that 2nd Lieut. H. T. McCormick, A. S., at Brooks Field, San Antonio, Tex., had 130 hr. 25 min. of flying time to his credit for the calendar year 1923. This could appear to establish a record flying time in the Air Service for that year.

U.S. NAVAL AVIATION

The Marines at Frederick, Md.

Realistic air battles were among the features of the visit of the Marine Corps Expeditionary Force to Frederick, Md., on Aug. 31. A huge crowd, estimated at more than 30,000 visitors and guests, was present.

The star event of the day was the bombing and combat exhibition of the Marine aviators. In the display the city of Frederick was bombed by a squadron consisting of two Martin Bombers, accompanied by three light fighting planes, while a second squadron of three similar fighting machines endeavored to drive off the attackers. As the combat progressed, the defending machines were driven in over the town after an exhibition of fighting tactics, including loops, spins, rolls, and Immelman turns. When directly over the center of the city, the big bombers released cargoes of paper bombs. These bombs were loaded with confetti and long streamers of colored paper. After a drop of a few hundred feet they were burst by the pressure of air and descended unfurling in huge clouds of light filmy colored tissue paper which deluged the buildings and streets. After dropping their bombs the planes swung around and retreated while their fighting planes brought up the rear guarding them with a rattle of machine gun fire from the defending squadron which endeavored to overtake and destroy them.

The demonstration was planned and its details worked out by Capt. Walter E. McCaughtry, commanding officer of the Quantico Force, who commanded the entire operation. The two Martin bombers were piloted by Capt. R. A. Presley, and Lieut. Stanley Ridderhof. The combat planes of the attacking group were piloted by Capt. R. J. Archibald, Lieu. L. G. Merritt and Lieu. H. C. Major. The three combat planes of the group defending the city were flown by Capt. H. H. Shepherd, Lieut. H. D. Palmer and First Sergt. J. A. Belcher, one of the members of the Marine Force which made the celebrated flight from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to San Francisco.

ZR3 Makes First Flight

The first trial flight of the airship ZR3 was made on Aug. 27, in the vicinity of the Zeppelin Company's plant at Friedrichshafen, Germany, where the airship was constructed. The flight which lasted 2 1/2 hr. was completed successfully, no trouble being encountered with the exception of damage to one of the engines, caused by a counterweight of the crankshaft coming loose and puncturing the crank case. This accident, which occurred shortly after all engines were going at full speed, necessitated stopping the one damaged.

A maximum altitude of approximately 2600 ft., was reached during the flight, and the speed attained indicated that the speed requirements of the airship will be more than met. According to a report from Friedrichshafen the flight showed

CALENDAR OF AERONAUTICAL EVENTS

[[2 column table]]
[[date]]    | [[event]]
April 6.    | Start of the World Flight of the U.S. Army Air Service, Seattle.
Oct. 2-4.   | International Air Races, incl. Pulitzer Trophy Race, Dayton, Ohio.
Oct. 24-25. | Schneider Cup Race, Baltimore.
Dec. 17.    | Twenty-first anniversary of the first successful airplane flight.
Dec. 5-21.  | International Aircraft Exposition, Paris, France.