Transport: Sandbag Records

Of the world’s major aviation records, two (speed, altitude) are held by Italy, the other two (distance, land-speed) by France. Lately U. S. Senator William Gibbs McAdoo, as president of the National Aeronautic Association, became excited over the fact that the U. S., which flies more passenger-miles than all the rest of the world combined, holds virtually no records of any importance.

Last week two pilots set out in a famed Douglas to collect more minor records for the U. S. Droning for 18½ hr. over a triangular closed course, the plane—loaded with sandbags — averaged 169 m. p. h., broke five international records for speed-with-load, set nine U. S. records. Sample: 2,000 kilometres with 1,000 kilogram payload, 173.6 m. p. h.; old record 159 m. p. h.

Disappointed by their speed. Pilots D. W. (“Tommy”) Tomlinson and Joseph E. Bartles explained they were forced by weather to fly below the Douglas’ optimum performance altitude of 14,000 ft.

Two days later Tomlinson & Bartles took off with twice as many sandbags, averaged 190 m. p. h., broke three more world records, two U. S. records, bettered eight of their old marks. To commemorate their feat, Sperry Gyroscope Co. (robot pilots) placed atop Rockefeller Center’s RCA Building a 500,000 candlepower airway beacon, first in Manhattan.