Aeronautics: Pageant

Not since the 1925 Pulitzer Races at Mitchel Field, L. I. had the East witnessed an air meet of national importance, until this week (Oct. 7 & 8) when the National Charity Air Pageant was to be held at Roosevelt Field, L. I. Sponsored by an enormous committee of socialites, the Pageant is for the benefit of Manhattan’s Judson Health Center, Emergency Exchange Association, and for Junior League charities outside New York State.

The Pageant is essentially an amateur flyers’ affair, with enough open events to attract a few big-name professionals. Preludes to the meet were a night transcontinental race from Los Angeles and an ingenious ”treasure hunt.” Some 70 sportsmen pilots entered the treasure hunt, sponsored by Pilot Bernarr Macfadden to advertise his Liberty magazine. The hunters were to start at St. Louis, hunt across country to Long Island for successive letters of LIBERTY spread in white cloth on the ground.

Prime features of the Roosevelt Field program:

¶ Maneuvering contest to pick the champion amateur aviator & aviatrix of the U. S. Prizes: $5,000 each.

¶ Four-plane relay race, Montreal Light Aeroplane Club v. U. S. flying clubs.

¶ Attempt by Jimmy Wedell to better his world record of 305 m.p.h.

¶ Amphibian speed trials by Major Alexander P. (“Sasha”) de Seversky.

¶. Sailplanes stunting in formation, led by crack Pilot Jack O’Meara.

¶ Stunting by Germany’s famed Ace Ernst Udet, who can pick a handkerchief from the ground with a hook on his wingtip.