Show Second H Huge ge Army Bomber Damaged ama a in Crash y 4 t r hr V lf TT s tx g FLYING FORTRESS AFTER CRACKUP AT SEATTLE Her nose noso was caved in her propeller propelled bla blades cs bent l U. U S. S Air Armament en Program ro T Threatened Ly by Plane Wreck WASHINGTON Dec 8 The UP-The UP The war departments department's air armament armament armament arma arma- ment program calling for 13 flying fortresses appeared today to be threatened by the crash of the second of the ships I Army officials officials anxiously awaited findings of the board of Inquiry convoked immediately at Boeing field Seattle Wash to determine the cause of the accident which caved in the nose of the big craft and bent the blades of the four pro pro- On the findings may be determined determined determined de de- de- de the army air corps' corps attitude attitude attitude atti atti- tude toward continuing construction of 13 of these flying battleships now under contract Approximately of the army air corps' corps funds for purchase of new planes Is tied up or pledged ledged In the construction of these planes which some air corps pilots consider still in the experimental and development development development devel devel- stage These pilots familiar with the two motored bombing and transport planes now in use believe the flying flying flying fly ing fortress is Js too much plane lane for the ordinary pilot to handle They are equipped with four powerful powerful powerful pow pow- erful motors and carry five machine guns juns and a ton of bombs In support of their opinion they cite the crash of the first of these I ships built at Wright field Ohio In October 1935 Two men were killed and the plane was destroyed during final tests Subsequent investigation revealed that hat the pilot had neglected to tG unlock unlock unlock un un- un- un lock the controls before taking off with the ship Army pilots who had viewed the pilots pilot's instrument board and md the control mechanisms of the big plane declared there were so I many instruments and the control mechanism was WM so intricate it would be difficult for any pilot to fly the ship successfully War department officials and leaders of the G. G H. H Q air force however expressed confidence in inthis inthis inthis this biggest of all land planes Fol Following lowing the Wright Held field crash they a contract to the Boeing Aircraft concern for construction of 13 of these big ships They believe believe believe be be- lieve the four motored four motored bombing ship represents a distinct step forward forward forward for for- ward in aircraft construction and andone andone andone one which warrants development for American national defense |