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Aeroplanes　and　Dirigibles　of　War



by　Frederick　A。　Talbot








PREFACE



Ever　since　the　earliest　days　of　the　great　conquest　of　the　air；

first　by　the　dirigible　balloon　and　then　by　the　aeroplane；　their

use　in　time　of　war　has　been　a　fruitful　theme　for　discussion。　　But

their　arrival　was　of　too　recent　a　date；　their　many　utilities　too

unexplored　to　provide　anything　other　than　theories；　many

obviously　untenable；　others　avowedly　problematical。



Yet　the　part　airships　have　played　in　the　Greatest　War　has　come　as

a　surprise　even　to　their　most　convinced　advocates。　　For　every

expectation　shattered；　they　have　shown　a　more　than　compensating

possibility　of　usefulness。



In　this　volume　an　endeavour　has　been　made　to　record　their

achievements；　under　the　stern　test　of　trial；　as　an　axiom　of　war；

and　to　explain；　in　untechnical　language；　the　many　services　to

which　they　have　been　and　may　be　applied。



In　the　preparation　of　the　work　I　have　received　assistance　from

many　sourcesBritish；　French；　Russian　and　Germanfrom　official

reports　and　from　men　who　have　played　a　part　in　the　War　in　the

Air。　　The　information　concerning　German　military　aircraft　has

been　obtained　from　Government　documents；　most　of　which　were

placed　at　my　disposal　before　the　outbreak　of　war。



The　use　of　aircraft　has　changed　the　whole　art　and　science　of

warfare。　　With　its　disabilities　well　in　hand；　with　its　strength

but　half　revealed；　the　aerial　service　has　revolutionised　strategy

and　shorn　the　unexpected　attack　of　half　its　terrors。　　The　Fourth

Arm　is　now　an　invaluable　part　of　the　complex　military　machine。



F。　A。　TALBOT。







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I。　　　　　The　introduction　of　aircraft　into　military　operations

II。　　　　The　military　uses　of　the　captive　balloon

III。　　　Germany's　rise　to　military　airship　supremacy

IV。　　　　Airships　of　war

V。　　　　　Germany's　aerial　dreadnought　fleet

VI。　　　　The　military　value　of　Germany's　aerial　fleet

VII。　　　Aeroplanes　of　war

VIII。　　Scouting　from　the　skies

IX。　　　　The　airman　and　artillery

X。　　　　　Bomb…throwing　from　air…craft

XI。　　　　Armoured　aeroplanes

XII。　　　Battles　in　the　air

XIII。　　Tricks　and　ruses　to　baffle　the　airman

XIV。　　　Anti…aircraft　guns。　Mobile　weapons

XV。　　　　Anti…aircraft　guns。　Immobile　weapons

XVI。　　　Mining　the　air

XVII。　　Wireless　in　aviation

XVIII。　Aircraft　and　naval　operations

XIX。　　　The　navies　of　the　air







CHAPTER　I

THE　INTRODUCTION　OF　AIRCRAFT　INTO　MILITARY　OPERATIONS



It　is　a　curious　circumstance　that　an　invention；　which　is　hailed

as　being　one　of　the　greatest　achievements　ever　recorded　in　the

march　of　civilisation；　should　be　devoted　essentially　to　the

maiming　of　humanity　and　the　destruction　of　property。　　In　no

other　trend　of　human　endeavour　is　this　factor　so　potently

demonstrated　as　in　connection　with　Man's　Conquest　of　the　Air。



The　dogged　struggle　against　the　blind　forces　of　Nature　was　waged

tenaciously　and　perseveringly　for　centuries。　　But　the　measure　of

success　recorded　from　time　to　time　was　so　disappointing　as　to

convey　the　impression；　except　in　a　limited　circle；　that　the

problem　was　impossible　of　solution。　　In　the　meantime　wondrous

changes　had　taken　place　in　the　methods　of　transportation　by　land

and　sea。　　The　steam　and　electric　railway；　steam　propulsion　of

vessels；　and　mechanical　movement　along　the　highroads　had　been

evolved　and　advanced　to　a　high　standard　of　perfection；　to　the

untold　advantage　of　the　community。　　Consequently　it　was　argued；

if　only　a　system　of　travel　along　the　aerial　highways　could　be

established；　then　all　other　methods　of　mechanical　transportation

would　be　rendered；　if　not　entirely　obsolete；　at　least　antiquated。



At　last　man　triumphed　over　Natureat　least　to　such　a　degree　as

to　inspire　the　confidence　of　the　world　at　large；　and　to　bring

aerial　travel　and　transportation　within　range　of　realisation。　　

But　what　has　been　the　result？　　The　discovery　is　not　devoted　to

the　interests　of　peace　and　economic　development；　but　to

extermination　and　destruction。



At　the　same　time　this　development　may　be　explained。　　The　airship

and　aeroplane　in　the　present　stage　of　evolution　possess　no

economic　value。　　True；　cross…country　cruises　by　airship　have　been

inaugurated；　and；　up　to　a　point；　have　proved　popularly；　if　not

commercially；　successful；　while　tentative　efforts　have　been　made

to　utilise　the　aeroplane　as　a　mail…carrier。　　Still；　from　the

view…point　of　the　community　at　large　aerial　travel　is　as　remote

as　it　was　centuries　ago。



It　is　somewhat　interesting　to　observe　how　history　is　repeating

itself。　　When　the　Montgolfiers　succeeded　in　lifting　themselves

into　the　air　by　means　of　a　vessel　inflated　with　hot　air；　the　new

vehicle　was　hailed　not　so　much　as　one　possessed　of　commercial

possibilities；　but　as　an　engine　of　war！　When　the　indomitable

courage　and　perseverance　of　Count　von　Zeppelin　in　the　face　of

discouraging　disasters　and　flagrant　failures；　at　last　commanded

the　attention　of　the　German　Emperor；　the　latter　regarded　the

Zeppelin　craft；　not　from　the　interests　of　peace；　but　as　a

military　weapon；　and　the　whole　of　the　subsequent　efforts　of　the

Imperial　admirer　were　devoted　to　the　perfection　of　the　airship　in

this　one　direction。



Other　nations；　when　they　embarked　on　an　identical　line　of

development；　considered　the　airship　from　a　similar　point　of　view。

In　fact；　outside　Germany；　there　was　very　little　private

initiative　in　this　field。　　Experiments　and　developments　were

undertaken　by　the　military　or　naval；　and　in　some　instances　by

both　branches；　of　the　respective　Powers。　　Consequently　the　aerial

craft；　whether　it　be　a　dirigible　airship；　or　an　aeroplane；　can

only　be　regarded　from　the　military　point　of　view。



Despite　the　achievements　which　have　been　recorded　by　human

endeavour　in　the　field　of　aerial　travel；　the　balloon　per　se　has

by　no　means　been　superseded。　　It　still　remains　an　invaluable

adjunct　to　the　fighting　machine。　　In　Great　Britain　its　value　in

this　direction　has　never　been　ignored：　of　late；　indeed；　it　has

rather　been　developed。　　The　captive　balloon　is　regarded　as　an

indispensable　unit　to　both　field　and　sea　operations。　　This　fact

was　emphasised　very　strongly　in　connection　with　the　British　naval

attacks　upon　the　German　forces　in　Flanders；　and　it　contributed　to

the　discomfiture　of　the　German　hordes　in　a　very　emphatic　manner。



The　captive　balloon　may　be　operated　from　any　spot　where

facilities　exist　for　anchoring　the　paying　out　cable　together　with

winding　facilities　for　the　latter。　　Consequently；　if　exigencies　

demand；　it　maybe　operated　from　the　deck　of　a　warship　so　long　as　the

latter　is　stationary；　or　even　from　an　automobile。　　It　is　of　small

cubic　capacity；　inasmuch　as　it　is　only　necessary　for　the　bag　to

contain　sufficient　gas　to　lift　one　or　two　men　to　a　height　of　about

500　or　600　feet。



When　used　in　the　field　the　balloon　is　generally　inflated　at　the

base；　to　be　towed　or　carried　forward　by　a　squad　of　men　while

floating　in　the　air；　perhaps　at　a　height　of　10　feet。　　A　dozen　men

will　suffice　for　this　duty　as　a　rule；　and　in　calm　weather　little

difficulty　is　encountered　in　moving　from　point　to　point。　　This

method　possesses　many　advantages。　　The　balloon　can　be　inflated

with　greater　ease　at　the　base；　where　it　is　immune　from

interference　by　hostile　fire。　　Moreover；　the　facilities　for

obtaining　the　requisite　inflating　agenthydrogen　or　coal　gas

are　more　convenient　at　such　a　point。　　If　the　base　be　far　removed

from　the　spot　at　which　it　is　desired　to　operate　the　balloon；　the

latter　is　inflated　at　a　convenient　point　nearer　the　requisite

position；　advantage　being　taken　of　the　protective　covering

offered　by　a　copse　or　other　natural　obstacle。



As　is　well　known；　balloons　played　an　important　part　during　the

siege　of　Paris　in　1870…1；　not　only　in　connection　with　daring

attempts　to　communicate　with　the　outer　world；　but　in

reconnoitring　the　German　positions　around　the　beleaguered　city。　　

But　this　was　not　the　first　military　application　of　the　aerial

vessel；　it　was　used　by　the　French　against　the　Austrians　in　the

battle　of　Fleurus；　and　also　during　the　American　Civil　War。　　These

operations；　however；　were　of　a　sporadic　character；　they　were　not

part　and　parcel　of　an　organised　military　section。



It　is　not　generally　known　that　the　British　War　office　virtually

pioneered　the　military　use　of　balloons；　and　subsequently　the

methods　perfected　in　Britain　became　recognised　as　a　kind　of

〃standard〃　and　were　adopted　generally　by　the　Powers　with　such

modifications　as　local　exigencies　seemed　to　demand。



The　British　military　balloon　department　was　inaugurated　at

Chatham　under　Captain　Templer　in　1879。　　It　was　devoted

essentially　to　the　employ　ment　of　captive　balloons　in　war；　and　in

1880　a　company　of　the　Royal　Engineers　was　detailed　to　the　care　of

this　work　in　the　field。　　Six　years　previously　the　French　military

department　had　adopted　the　captive　balloon　under　Colonel

Laussedat；　who　was　assisted　among　others　by　the　well…known

Captain　Renard。　　Germany　was　somewhat　later　in　the　field；　the

military　value　of　captive　balloons　was　not　appreciated　and　taken

into　serious　consideration　here　until　1884。　　But　although　British

efforts　were　preceded　by　the　French　the　latter　did　not　develop

the　idea　upon　accepted　military　lines。



The　British　authorities　were　confronted　with　many　searching

problems。　　One　of　the　earliest　and　greatest　difficulties

encountered　was　in　connection　with　the　gas　for　inflation。　　Coal

gas　was　not　always　readily　available；　so　that　hydrogen　had　to　be

depended　upon　for　the　most　part。　　But　then　another　difficulty

arose。　　This　was　the　manufacture　of　the　requisite　gas。　　Various

methods　were　tested；　such　as　the　electrolytic　decomposition　of

water；　the　decomposition　of　sulphuric　acid　by　means　of　iron；　the

reaction　between　slaked　lime　and　zinc；　and　so　forth。



But　the　drawbacks　to　every　process；　especially　upon　the　field　of

battle；　when　operations　have　to　be　conducted　under　extreme

difficulties　and　at　high　pressure；　were　speedily　recognised。

While　other　nations　concentrated　their　energies　upon　the

simplification　of　hydrogen…manufacturing　apparatus　for　use　upon

the　battle…field；　Great　Britain　abandoned　all　such　processes　in

toto。　　Our　military　organisation　preferred　to　carry　out　the

production　of　the　necessary　gas　at　a　convenient　manufacturing

centre　and　to　transport　it；　stored　in　steel　cylinders　under

pressure；　to　the　actual　scene　of　operations。　　The　method　proved　a

great　success；　and　in　this　way　it　was　found　possible　to　inflate　a

military　balloon　in　the　short　space　of　20　minutes；　whereas；　under

the　conditions　of　making　gas　upon　the　spot；　a　period　of　four

hours　or　more　was　necessary；　owing　to　the　fact　that　the

manufacturing　process　is　relatively　slow　and　intricate。　　The

practicability　of　the　British　idea　and　its　perfection　served　to

establish　the　captive　balloon　as　a　m