Casper Daily Tribune

FLYING BULLET
FOR AIR RACES
England Making Ready
To Lend Competition
In American Event.

LONDON, March 31 (United Press)
-Britain is putting every available
ounce of her best brain-power and
horse-power into a super-British ef-
fort to dethrone the aerial speed
Kings of the United States, France
and Italy.

Aeroplanes capable of a speed
ranging from 270 to 280 miles an
hour are on the ways, according to
aviation circles. They call the new
craft "flying bullets." At least two
of them, it is said, are going to in-
vade Baltimore next October in a
desperate attempt to lift the Schnel-
der Cup.

A lot of "hush! hush!" surrounds
the grooming of the Schneider Cup
candidates, but a few people who
are "in the know" have casually let
the report get about that the laurel
seeking racers will be capable of
doing something like five miles a
minute.

Chief reliance is being placed on
a plane that was tried out last year.
but never took part in any air race.
It is said to have done 215
miles an hour without even fully
opening the throttle.

Modifications have now been intro-
duced which add to the "hope's" rac-
ing power. Wings have been clipped
in order to secure greater velocity. it
is stated. until they are little more
than stubby projections jutting out
from the fuselage. Streamlined from
end to end, the machine is pictured
as the very image of a projectile in
flight. It has a 450 horsepower en-
gine, reported capable of developing
about 600 horsepower.

Elimination of certain gear and
the introduction of other improve-
ments, air circles state. have reduced
the weight of the engine until it
turns the scale at little more than
a pound per horsepower. In order
to reduce wind resistance the motor
is let into the fuselage, thus giving
a perfectly smooth surface.

Having created this stubby-winged
aerial filly. John Bull is casting
about to find the "jockey" best able
to ride it. The aviation folk over
here say it will take "nerves of iron.
the touch of an artist, the endur-
ance of a Polar explorer and the
physical fitness of a champion box-
er."

It is expected that three or four
of Britain's outstanding aces will be
permitted to try out the planes in
competition for the coveted honor
of handling it at Baltimore.