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 gesture--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 rapidly like an ever-lengthening pendulum. Ingeniously averting the dread "inverted spin" Williams landed, gave to the Navy his valuable findings on the mastery of inverted flight to promote safety.

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