aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第12章

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Seeing　that　the　French　aerial　force　was　placed　at　a　great

disadvantage　numerically　by　this　action；　there　seems　to　be　ample

justification　for　the　hostile　criticism　which　the　decree　of

prohibition　aroused　in　certain　circles；　especially　when　it　is

remembered　that　there　was　not　an　equal　number　of　the　accepted

machines　available　to　take　the　place　of　those　which　had　been

ruled　out　of　court。　　One　effect　of　this　decree　was　to　throw　some

400　expert　aviators　upon　the　waiting　list　for　the　simple　reason

that　machines　were　unavailable。　　Some　of　the　best　aviation　skill

and　knowledge　which　France　possesses　were　affected　by　the　order。　

It　is　stated　that　accomplished　aviators；　such　as　Vedrines；　were

unable　to　obtain　machines。



It　will　be　seen　that　the　ultimate　effect　of　the　French　military

decree　was　to　reduce　the　number　of　types　to　about　four；　each　of

which　was　allotted　a　specific　duty。　　But　whereas　three　different

bi…planes　are　on　the　approved　list　there　is　only　one　monoplane

the　Morane…Saulaier。　　This　machine；　however；　has　a　great　turn　of

speed；　and　it　is　also　able　to　climb　at　a　very　fast　pace。　　In

these　respects　it　is　superior　to　the　crack　craft　of　Germany；　so

that　time　after　time　the　latter　have　refused　battle　in　the　skies；

and　have　hurried　back　to　their　lines。



The　Morane…Saulnier　is　the　French　mosquito　craft　of　the　air　and

like　the　insect；　it　is　avowedly　aggressive。　　In　fact；　its　duties

are　confined　to　the　work　of　chasing　and　bringing　down　the　enemy；

for　which　work　its　high　manoeuvring　capacity　is　excellently

adapted。　　Its　aggressive　armament　comprises　a　mitrailleuse。　

Unfortunately；　however；　the　factory　responsible　for　the

production　of　this　machine　is　at　present　handicapped　by　the

limitations　of　its　manufacturing　plant；　which　when　pushed　to　the

utmost　extent　cannot　turn　out　more　than　about　ten　machines　per

week。　　No　doubt　this　deficiency　will　be　remedied　as　the　war

proceeds　by　extension　of　the　works　or　by　allotting　orders　to

other　establishments；　but　at　the　time　of　the　decree　the

manufacturing　capacity　was　scarcely　sufficient　to　make　good　the

wastage；　which　was　somewhat　heavy。



As　far　as　biplanes　are　concerned　the　Caudron　is　the　fastest　in

flight　and　is　likewise　extremely　quick　in　manoeuvring。　　It　is　a

very　small　machine　and　is　extremely　light；　but　the　fact　that　it

can　climb　at　the　rate　of　over　330　feet　per　minute　is　a　distinct

advantage　in　its　favour。　　It　supplements　the　Morane…Saulnier

monoplane　in　the　specific　duty　of　the　latter；　while　it　is　also

employed　for　discovering　the　enemy's　artillery　and　communicating

the　range　of　the　latter　to　the　French　and　British　artillery。　　In

this　latter　work　it　has　played　a　very　prominent　part　and　to

it　is　due　in　no　small　measure　that　deadly　accuracy　of　the

artillery　of　the　Allies　which　has　now　become　so　famous。　　This

applies　especially　to　those　tactics；　where　the　field　artillery

dashes　up　to　a　position；　discharges　a　number　of　rounds　in　rapid

succession；　or　indulges　in　rafale　firing；　and　then　limbering　up；

rushes　away　before　the　enemy　can　reply。



As　is　well　known　the　Farman　biplanes　possess　high　endurance

qualities。　　They　can　remain　aloft　for　many　hours　at　a　stretch　and

are　remarkably　reliable。　　Owing　to　these　qualities　they　are

utilised　for　prolonged　and　searching　reconnoitring　duties　such　as

strategical　reconnaissances　as　distinct　from　the　hurried　and

tactical　reconnaissances　carried　out　by　fleeter　machines。　　While

they　are　not　so　speedy　as　the　monoplanes　of　the　German　military

establishment；　endurance　in　this　instance　is　preferable　to　pace。　

A　thorough　survey　of　the　enemy's　position　over　the　whole　of　his

military　zone；　which　stretches　back　for　a　distance　of　30　miles　or

so　from　the　outer　line　of　trenches；　is　of　incalculable　value　to　a

commander　who　is　contemplating　any　decisive　movement　or　who　is

somewhat　in　doubt　as　to　the　precise　character　of　his　antagonist's

tactics。



The　French　aerial　fleet　has　been　particularly　active　in　its　work

of　raiding　hostile　positions　and　submitting　them　to　a　fusillade

of　bombs　from　the　clouds。　　The　machine　which　is　allotted　this

specific　task　is　the　Voisin　biplane。　　This　is　due　to　the　fact　　

that　this　machine　is　able　to　carry　a　great　weight。　　It　was

speedily　discovered　that　in　bomb…raids　it　is　essential　for

an　aeroplane　to　be　able　to　carry　a　somewhat　large　supply　of

missiles；　owing　to　the　high　percentage　of　misses　which　attends

these　operations。　　A　raid　by　a　machine　capable　of　carrying　only；

say；　half…a…dozen　projectiles；　is　virtually　a　waste　of　fuel；　and

the　endurance　limitations　of　the　fast　machines　reacts　against

their　profitable　use　in　this　work。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　fact

that　the　Voisin　machine　is　able　to　carry　a　large　supply　of　bombs

renders　it　an　ideal　craft　for　this　purpose；　hence　the　official

decision　to　confine　it　to　this　work。



So　far　as　the　British　efforts　in　aerial　work　are　concerned　there

is　no　such　display　of　rigid　selection　as　characterises　the

practice　of　the　French　and　German　military　authorities。　

Britain's　position　in　the　air　has　been　extensively　due　to　private

enterprise；　and　this　is　still　being　encouraged。　　Moreover　at　the

beginning　of　the　war　Britain　was　numerically　far　inferior　both　to

her　antagonist　and　to　her　ally。　　Consequently　it　was　a　wise　move

to　encourage　the　private　manufacture　of　machines　which　had

already　established　their　value。　　The　consequence　is　that　a

variety　of　machines　figure　in　the　British　aerial　navy。　　Private

initiative　is　excellently　seconded　by　the　Government

manufacturing　aeroplane　factory；　while　the　training　of　pilots

is　likewise　being　carried　out　upon　a　comprehensive　scale。

British　manufacture　may　be　divided　into　two　broad　classesthe

production　of　aeroplanes　and　of　waterplanes　respectively。

Although　there　is　a　diversity　of　types　there　is　a　conspicuous

homogeneity　for　the　most　part；　as　was　evidenced　by　the　British

raid　carried　out　on　February　11…12；　when　a　fleet　of　34　machines

raided　the　various　German　military　centres　established　along　the

coast　of　Flanders。



Considerable　secrecy　has　been　displayed　by　the　British　Government

concerning　the　types　of　machines　that　are　being　utilised；

although　ample　evidence　exists　from　the　producing　activity　of　the

various　establishments　that　all　available　types　which　have

demonstrated　their　reliability　and　efficiency　are　being　turned　to

useful　purpose。　　The　Avro　and　Sopwith　warplanes　with　their　very

high　speeds　have　proved　remarkably　successful。



So　far　as　manufacturing　is　concerned　the　Royal　Aerial　Factory　may

be　said　to　constitute　the　back　bone　of　the　British　aerial　fleet。　

This　factory　fulfils　various　purposes。　　It　is　not　only　engaged　in

the　manufacture　of　machines；　and　the　development　of　aeroplanes

for　specific　duties；　but　also　carries　out　the　inspection　and

testing　of　machines　built　by　private　firms。　　Every　machine　is

submitted　to　an　exacting　test　before　it　is　passed　into　the

service。



Three　broad　types　of　Government　machines　are　manufactured　at　this

establishment。　　There　is　that　designed　essentially　for　scouting

operations；　in　which　speed　is　the　all…important　factor　and　which

is　of　the　tractor　type。　　Another　is　the　〃Reconnoitring〃　machine

known　officially　as　the　〃R。E。〃　to…day；　but　formerly　as　the　〃B。E〃

（Bleriot…Experimental）；　a　considerable　number　of　which　are　in

commission。



This　machine　is　also　of　the　tractor　type；　carrying　a　pilot　and　an

observer；　and　has　a　maximum　speed　of　40…50　miles　per　hour。　　If

required　it　can　further　be　fitted　with　an　automatic　gun　for

defence　and　attack。　　The　third　craft　is　essentially　a　fighting

machine。　　Owing　to　the　introduction　of　the　machine…gun　which　is

fixed　in　the　prow；　with　the　marksman　immediately　behind　it；　the

screw　is　placed　at　the　rear。　　The　pilot　has　his　seat　behind　the

gunner。　　The　outstanding　feature　of　these　machines　is　the　high

factor　of　safety；　which　attribute　has　astonished　some　of　the

foremost　aviation　experts　in　the　world。



Great　Britain　lagged　behind　her　Continental　rivals　in　the

development　of　the　Fourth　Arm；　especially　in　matters　pertaining

to　motive　power。　　For　some　time　reliance　was　placed　upon　foreign

light　highspeed　explosion　motors；　but　private　enterprise　was

encouraged；　with　the　result　that　British　Motors　comparing

favourably　in　every　respect　with　the　best　productions　upon　the

Continent　are　now　available。　　Development　is　still　proceeding；

and　there　is　every　evidence　that　in　the　near　future　entire

reliance　will　be　placed　upon　the　native　motor。



Undoubtedly；　as　the　war　progresses；　many　valuable　lessons　will

be　learned　which　will　exercise　an　important　bearing　upon　the

design　and　construction　of　warplanes。　　The　ordeals　to　which　the

machines　are　submitted　in　military　duties　are　far　more　severe

than　any　imposed　by　the　conditions　of　commerce。　　Accordingly

there　is　every　indication　that　the　conflict　upon　the　Continent

will　represent　a　distinctive　epoch　in　aeroplane　design　and

construction。　　Many　problems　still　await　solution；　such　as　the

capacity　to　hover　over　a　position；　and　it　is　quite　possible

that　these　complex　and　baffling　questions　will　be　settled

definitely　as　the　result　of　operations　in　the　field。　　The

aeroplane　has　reached　a　certain　stage　of　evolution：　further

progress　is　virtually　impossible　unless　something　revolutionary

is　revealed；　perfected；　and　brought　to　the　practical　stage。







CHAPTER　VIII

SCOUTING　FROM　THE　SKIES



From　the　moment　when　human　flight　was　lifted　from　the　rut　of

experiment　to　the　field　of　practical　application；　many　theories；

interesting　and　illuminating；　concerning　the　utility　of　the

Fourth　Arm　as　a　military　unit　were　advanced。　　The　general

consensus　of　expert　opinion　was　that　the　flying　machine　would　be

useful　to　glean　information　concerning　the　movements　of　an　enemy；

rather　than　as　a　weapon　of　offence。



The　war　is　substantiating　this　argument　very　completely。　

Although　bomb…dropping　is　practised　somewhat　extensively；　the

results　achieved　are　rather　moral　than　material　in　their　effects。　

Here　and　there　startling　successes　have　been　recorded　especially

upon　the　British　side；　but　these　triumphs　are　outnumbered　by　the

failures　in　this　direction；　and　merely　serve　to　emphasise　the

views　of　the　theorists。



The　argument　was　also　advanced　that；　in　this　particular　work；　the

aeroplane　would　prove　more　valuable　than　the　dirigible；　but

actual　campaigning　has　proved　conclusively　that　the　dirigible　and

the　heavier…than…air　machines　have　their　respective　fields　of

utility　in　the　capacity　of　scouts。　　In　fact　in　the　very　earliest

days　of　the　war；　the　British　airships；　though　small　and　slow　in

movement；　proved　more　serviceable　for　this　duty　than　their

dynamic　consorts。　　This　result　was　probably　due　to　the　fact　that

military　strategy　and　tactics　were　somewhat　nonplussed　by　the

appearance　of　this　new　factor。　　At　the　time　it　was　an　entirely

unknown　qu