U.S. PLANES ON MYSTERY FLIGHT

Chronicle (Levin), 4 August 1947, Page 5

U.S. PLANES ON MYSTERY FLIGHT

NEW YORK, August 2. The Colleetor of Customs at Tampa (F)orida), Mr. A. J. Angle, asked al! airports to be 011 ihe alert for the reported unauthorised flight of seven fighter planes to a "foreign country. " The planes are described as privately owned, flve of tliem M ustangs and two Lightnings. Asked if the planes might be head ing for the Dominican Eepublic.r oue oflicial informed the United Press tlial "it was possible. " Government otflcials in Washington said today that a vvidespread search was being made for the missing former .Arrny combat planes. Oue oflicer said: "Plenty oi' young fellows in this country know how to fly these planes. ' '

War Departmept ofiicials said some| Mustangs and Lightnings used by/ American airmen in the war had been sold as surplus and might be in the hands of civilians. One official, replying to a question as to the possible •lestination of the t'ast little fleet, said: {*Yqu know there has been some trouble In the Caribbean. " The Dominican Ambassador (Julio Ortega Frier) said in Washington last night that his Government was maintaining constant air patrols to sight , any craft which might seek to land troops on Government territory. He said that no Dominican Government ■'epresentatiyes had yet seen any of the reported invasion forces and that all accounts so far had been based 011 rumours from Cuba.