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Show TO PREVENT AIRPLANE FIRES .John Gose and Others of Committee on Aeronautics Invent Fireproof Gasoline Tank. "Having lost his right leg and suffered suf-fered severe injuries caused by a burning airplane In the World war, John Henry Gose of Washington, p. C, a member of the American Legion's Le-gion's national committee on aeronautics, aero-nautics, with otfier aviators, who had received similar injuries, set to work to devise a system to eliminate for others the dangers that caused their own injuries. The result was the Invention of a fireproof gasoline tnnk, containing a fire-resisting chemical which extinguishes extin-guishes any fire that may start from a leak in the gasoline tank system. Another flask containing acid is installed in-stalled over the engine of the airplane. This flnsk releases its acid as soon as a certain temperature has been reached. The Invention is built In much the same manner as a thermos flask Is constructed. Mr. Gose entered the service at Fort Myer, Virginia. He served for a time In a battery of field artillery until he obtained a transfer to the aviation service. He received training with the Canadian Royal Flying corps at Toronto, To-ronto, and completed his course at Hicks, Tex. Commissioned a first lieutenant, lieu-tenant, he went overseas with the Twenty-second aero squadron. Latet he was detached for service with tha British Royal Flying corps. It was while he was with the British that he suffered the accident. Flying at an altitude of between 500 and 600 feet, a sheet of flame shot from underneath the front gasoline tank of his plane. Lieutenant Gose immediately put the machine into a sideslip to put the flames out. and also to make a landing. The plane crashed on one wing and the pilot was pinned In the burning wreckage. Struggling to get free from the blazing plane, he broke both legs in the attempt. Meanwhile Mean-while the fire was burning around his legs and body. Eventually, comrades, risking their lives, succeeded In pulling pull-ing the lieutenant from the plane. What was left of his right leg had to be amputated. "Mj one thought during the 19 months I was in the hospital was to find a fire-prevention equipment that would nave other flyers from my own experience," Lieutenant Gose stated. An organizer of the American Legion Le-gion post at Bristol, Va., Lieutenant Gose has been connected with the ex-service ex-service organization since the earlj days of Its existence. |