National Affairs: Inverted Leaf

Spectacularly Lieut. Alford Joseph Williams, crack airman, served the U. S. Navy for 13 years. Spectacularly he made his exit last week, having resigned in protest against sea-assignment (TIME, April 21). Nothing could have been more characteristic than his parting gestureĀ—the performance of an acrobatic feat never before accomplished: an "inverted falling leaf." Above Anacostia, naval air station, Lieut. Williams rolled a Curtiss Hawk biplane onto its back, throttled the motor, let one wing dip. Wheels to the sky, pilot's head to the ground, the little ship began swinging back and forth, dropping...

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