aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第11章

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powerful　influence　in　any　such　decision；　the　recommendations

of　the　meteorological　savants　not　withstanding。



When　the　Zeppelin　pride　of　the　German　Navy　〃L…1〃　was　hurled　to

destruction　by　a　typical　North　Sea　squall；　Captain　Blew　of　the

Victoria　Luise；　a　Zeppelin　with　many　great　achievements　to　her

credit；　whose　navigator　was　formerly　in　the　Navy；　and　thus　is

familiar　with　the　whole　issue；　explained　that　this　atmospheric

liveliness　of　the　North　Sea　prevails　for　the　most　part　in　the

latitude　of　Norway；　but　that　it　frequently　extends　as　far　south

as　the　gate　of　the　Channel。　　He　related　furthermore　that　the　rain

squalls　are　of　tropical　violence；　while　the　vertical　thrusts　of

air　are　such　that　no　dirigible　as　yet　constructed　could　ever　hope

to　live　in　them。　　Under　such　conditions；　he　continued；　the　gas　is

certain　to　cool　intensely；　and　the　hull　must　then　become

waterlogged；　not　to　mention　the　downward　thrust　of　the　rain。　

Under　such　conditions　buoyancy　must　be　imperilled　to　such　a

degree　as　to　demand　the　jettisoning　of　every　piece　of　ballast；

fuel　and　other　removable　weight；　including　even　the　steadying　and

vertical　planes。　　When　this　has　been　done；　he　pointed　out；

nothing　is　left　with　which　to　combat　the　upward　vertical　thrusts

of　the　air。　　To　attempt　to　run　before　the　wind　is　to　court

positive　disaster；　as　the　wind　is　certain　to　gain　the　mastery。　

Once　the　airship　loses　steering　way　and　is　rendered

uncontrollableit　becomes　the　sport　of　the　forces　of　Nature；　with

the　result　that　destruction　is　merely　a　matter　of　minutes；　or

even　seconds。



Every　navigator　who　knows　the　North　Sea　will　support　these

conclusions。　　Squalls　and　blizzards　in　winter；　and　thunderstorms

in　summer；　rise　with　startling　suddenness　and　rage　with　terrific

destructive　fury。　　Such　conditions　must　react　against　the　attempt

of　an　aerial　invasion　in　force；　unless　it　be　made　in　the

character　of　the　last　throw　by　a　desperate　gambler；　with　good

fortune　favouring　the　dash　to　a　certain　degree。　　But　lesser　and

more　insignificant　Zeppelin　raids　are　likely　to　be　somewhat

frequent；　and　to　be　made　at　every　favourable　climatic

opportunity。







CHAPTER　VII

AEROPLANES　OF　WAR



Owing　to　the　fertility　of　inventors　and　the　resultant

multiplicity　of　designs　it　is　impossible　to　describe　every　type

of　heavier…than…air　machine　which　has　been　submitted　to　the

exacting　requirements　of　military　duty。　　The　variety　is　infinite

and　the　salient　fact　has　already　been　established　that　many

of　the　models　which　have　proved　reliable　and　efficient　under

normal　conditions　are　unsuited　to　military　operations。　　The　early

days　of　the　war　enabled　those　of　doubtful　value　to　be　eliminated；

the　result　being　that　those　machines　which　are　now　in　use

represent　the　survival　of　the　fittest。　　Experience　has

furthermore　emphasised　the　necessity　of　reducing　the　number　of

types　to　the　absolute　minimum。　　This　weeding…out　process　is　being

continued　and　there　is　no　doubt　that　by　the　time　the　war　is

concluded　the　number　of　approved　types　of　aeroplanes　of　military

value　will　have　been　reduced　to　a　score　or　less。　　The

inconveniences　and　disadvantages　arising　from　the　utilisation　of

a　wide　variety　of　different　types　are　manifold；　the　greatest

being　the　necessity　of　carrying　a　varied　assortment　of　spare

parts；　and　confusion　in　the　repair　and　overhauling　shops。



The　methodical　Teuton　was　the　first　to　grasp　the　significance　of

these　drawbacks；　he　has　accordingly　carried　standardisation　to　a

high　degree　of　efficiency；　as　is　shown　in　another　chapter。　　At　a

later　date　France　appreciated　the　wisdom　of　the　German　practice；

and　within　a　short　time　after　the　outbreak　of　hostilities

promptly　ruled　out　certain　types　of　machines　which　were　regarded

as　unsuitable。　　In　this　instance　the　process　of　elimination

created　considerable　surprise；　inasmuch　as　it　involved　an　embargo

on　the　use　of　certain　machines；　which　under　peace　conditions　had

achieved　an　international　reputation；　and　were　held　to　represent

the　finest　expression　of　aeronautical　science　in　France　as　far　as

aeroplane　developments　are　concerned。



Possibly　the　German　machine　which　is　most　familiar；　by　name；　to

the　general　public　is　the　Taube；　or；　as　it　is　sometimes　called；

the　Etrich　monoplane；　from　the　circumstance　that　it　was　evolved

by　the　Austrian　engineer　Igo　Etrich　in　collaboration　with　his

colleague　Wels。　　These　two　experimenters　embarked　on　the　study　of

dynamic　flight　contemporaneously　with　Maxim；　Langley；　Kress；　and

many　other　well…known　pioneers；　but　it　was　not　until　1908　that

their　first　practical　machine　was　completed。　　Its　success　was

instantaneous；　many　notable　flights　being　placed　to　its　credit；

while　some　idea　of　the　perfection　of　its　design　may　be　gathered

from　the　fact　that　the　machine　of　to…day　is　substantially

identical　with　that　used　seven　years　ago；　the　alterations　which

have　been　effected　meanwhile　being　merely　modifications　in　minor

details。



The　design　of　this　machine　follows　very　closely　the　lines　of　a

bird　in　flighthence　its　colloquial　description；　〃Taube；〃　or

〃dove。〃　　Indeed　the　analogy　to　the　bird　is　so　close　that　the　ribs

of　the　frame　resemble　the　feathers　of　a　bird。　　The　supporting

plane　is　shaped　in　the　manner　of　a　bird's　distended　wing；　and　is

tipped　up　at　the　rear　ends　to　ensure　stability。　　The　tail　also

resembles　that　of　a　bird　very　closely。



This　aeroplane；　especially　the　latest　type；　is　very　speedy；　and

it　has　proved　extremely　reliable。　　It　is　very　sharp　in　turning

and　extremely　sensitive　to　its　rudder；　which　renders　it　a

first…class　craft　for　reconnoitring　duty。　　The　latest　machines

are　fitted　　with　motors　developing　from　120　to　150　horse…power。



The　〃Taube〃　commanded　attention　in　Germany　for　the　reason　that

it　indicated　the　first　departure　from　the　adherence　to　the　French

designs　which　up　to　that　time　had　been　followed　somewhat

slavishly；　owing　to　the　absence　of　native　initiative。



The　individuality　of　character　revealed　in　the　〃Taube〃　appealed

to　the　German　instinct；　with　the　result　that　the　machine　achieved

a　greater　reputation　than　might　have　been　the　case　had　it　been

pitted　against　other　types　of　essentially　Teutonic　origin。　　The

Taube　was　subsequently　tested　both　in　France　and　Great　Britain；

but　failed　to　raise　an　equal　degree　of　enthusiasm；　owing　to　the

manifestation　of　certain　defects　which　marred　its　utility。　　This

practical　experience　tended　to　prove　that　the　Taube；　like　the

Zeppelin；　possessed　a　local　reputation　somewhat　of　the　paper

type。　　The　Germans；　however；　were　by　no　means　disappointed

by　such　adverse　criticism；　but　promptly　set　to　work　to　eliminate

defects　with　a　view　to　securing　an　all…round　improvement。



The　most　successful　of　these　endeavours　is　represented　in　the

Taube…Rumpler　aeroplane；　which　may　be　described　as　an　improved

edition　of　Etrich's　original　idea。　　As　a　matter　of　fact　the

modifications　were　of　so　slight；　though　important；　a　character

that　many　machines　generically　described　as　Taubes　are　in　reality

Rumplers；　but　the　difference　is　beyond　detection　by　the　ordinary

and　unpractised　observer。



In　the　Rumpler　machine　the　wings；　like　those　of　the　Taube；　assume

broadly　the　form　and　shape　of　those　of　the　pigeon　or　dove　in

flight。　　The　early　Rumpler　machines　suffered　from　sluggish

control；　but　in　the　later　types　this　defect　has　been　overcome。

In　the　early　models　the　wings　were　flexible；　but　in　the　present

craft　they　are　rigid；　although　fitted　with　tips　or　ailerons。　　The

supporting　truss　beneath　the　wings；　which　was　such　an　outstanding

feature　of　its　prototype；　has　been　dispensed　with；　the　usual

I…beam　longitudinals　being　used　in　its　stead。　　The　latest

machines　fitted　with　100…120　horse…power　Mercedes　motors　have　a

fine　turn　of　speed；　possess　an　enhanced　ascensional　effort；　and

are　far　simpler　to　control



Other　German　machines　which　are　used　in　the　military　service　are

the　Gotha　and　the　Albatross。　　The　former　is　a　monoplane；　and　here

again　the　influence　of　Etrich　upon　German　aeroplane　developments

is　strongly　manifested；　the　shape　of　the　bird's　wing　being

retained。　　In　the　Gotha　the　truss　which　Etrich　introduced　is　a

prominent　characteristic。　　The　Albatross　is　a　biplane；　but　this

craft　has　proved　to　be　somewhat　slow　and　may　be　said　to　be

confined　to　what　might　be　described　as　the　heavier　aerial

military　duties；　where　great　endurance　and　reliability　are

essential。　　As　the　war　proceeds；　doubtless　Teuton　ingenuity　will

be　responsible　for　the　appearance　of　new　types；　as　well　as

certain　modifications　in　the　detail　construction　of　the　existing

machines；　but　there　is　every　indication　that　the　broad　lines　of

Etrich's　conception　will　be　retained　in　all　monoplanes。



There　is　one　point　in　which　Germany　has　excelled。　　Wood　is　not

employed　in　the　construction　of　these　heavier…than…air　craft。　

Steel　and　the　lighter　tough　alloys　are　exclusively　used。　　In　this

way　the　minimum　of　weight　consistent　with　the　maximum　of　strength

policy　is　carried　out。　　Moreover　the　manufacture　of　component

parts　is　facilitated　and　accelerated　to　a　remarkable　degree　by

the　use　of　metal；　while　the　tasks　of　fitting　and　repairing　are

notably　expedited　by　the　practice　of　standardisation。　　Germany　is

also　manifesting　commendable　enterprise　in　the　perfection　of

light　powerful　motors　for　these　dynamic　machines。　　The　latest

types　of　explosion…motors　range　from　100　to　150　horse…power；　the

advantages　of　these　are　obvious。



Upon　the　outbreak　of　hostilities　the　French　possessed　an　enormous

number　and　variety　of　aeroplanes　and　this　aerial　fleet　had　been

brought　to　a　high　standard　of　organisation。　　The　aerial　fleet　is

sub…divided　into　squadrons　called　〃escadrilles；〃　each　of　which

comprises　six　machines　and　pilots。　　These　units　are　kept　up　to

strength；　wastage　being　made　up　from　reserves；　so　as　to　maintain

the　requisite　homogeneity。



But　ere　the　war　had　been　in　progress　many　weeks　an　official　order

was　issued　forbidding　the　employment　of　the　Bleriot；　Deperdussin；

Nieuport；　and　R。E。P。　monoplanes。　　Those　which　received　official

approval　included　the　Caudron；　Henry；　and　Maurice　Farman；

Morane…Saulnier；　and　Voisin　machines。



This　drastic　order　came　somewhat　as　a　thunderbolt；　and　the

reason　for　the　decree　has　not　been　satisfactorily　revealed。　　

Suffice　to　say　that　in　one　stroke　the　efficiency　and　numerical

strength　of　the　French　aerial　navy　were　reduced　very　appreciably。　

For　instance；　it　is　stated　that　there　were　thirty　escadrilles　of

Bleriot　monoplanes　together　with　pilots　at　the　front；　in　addition

to　thirty　mixed　escadrilles　of　the　other　prohibited　types　with

their　fliers。　　Moreover　a　round　33　escadrilles　of　all　the　various

types　were　in　reserve。　　The　effect　of　the　military　order　was　to

reduce　the　effective　strength　by　no　fewer　than　558　aeroplanes。



Seeing　that　the　French　aerial　force　was　placed　at　a　great

di