aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第18章

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air…currents；　which　may　swing　the　missile　to　one　side　of　the

objective。　　Consequently　adequate　allowance　has　to　be　made　for

windage；　which　is　a　very　difficult　factor　to　calculate　from

aloft。



Bomb…dropping　from　an　aeroplane　is　even　more　difficult。　　If　for

instance　the　aeroplane　is　speeding　along　at　60　miles　an　hour；　the

bomb　when　released　will　have　a　speed　in　the　horizontal　plane　of

60　miles　an　hour；　because　momentarily　it　is　travelling　at　the

speed　of　the　aeroplane。　　Consequently　the　shell　will　describe　a

curved　trajectory；　somewhat　similar　to　that　shown　in　Fig。　7。



On　the　other　hand；　if　the　aeroplane　is　travelling　slowly；　say　at

20　miles　an　hour；　the　curve　of　the　trajectory　will　be　flatter；

and　if　a　head　wind　be　prevailing　it　may　even　be　swept　backwards

somewhat　after　it　has　lost　its　forward　momentum；　and　describe　a

trajectory　similar　to　that　in　Fig。　8。



A　bomb　released　from　an　altitude　of　1000　feet　seldom；　if　ever；

makes　a　bee…line　for　the　earth；　even　if　dropped　from　a　stationary

airship。　　Accordingly；　the　airman　has　to　release　the　bomb　before

he　reaches　the　target　below。　　The　determination　of　the　critical

moment　for　the　release　is　not　easy；　inasmuch　as　the　airman　has　to

take　into　his　calculations　the　speed　of　his　machine；　his

altitude；　and　the　direction　and　velocity　of　the　air…currents。



The　difficulty　of　aiming　has　been　demonstrated　upon　several

occasions　at　aviation　meetings　and　other　similar　gatherings。　

Monsieur　Michelin；　who　has　done　so　much　for　aviation　in　France；

offered　a　prize　of　L1；005；000in　1912　for　bomb…dropping　from

an　aeroplane。　　The　target　was　a　rectangular　space　marked　out　upon

the　ground；　measuring　170　feet　long　by　40　feet　broad；　and　the

missiles　had　to　be　dropped　from　a　height　of　2；400　feet。　　The

prize　was　won　by　the　well…known　American　airman；　Lieutenant　Riley

E。　　Scott；　formerly　of　the　United　States　Army。　　He　dropped　his

bombs　in　groups　of　three。　　The　first　round　fell　clear　of　the

target；　but　eight　of　the　remaining　missiles　fell　within　the　area。



In　the　German　competition　which　was　held　at　Gotha　in　September　of

the　same　year　the　results　were　somewhat　disappointing。　　Two

targets　were　provided。　　The　one　represented　a　military　bivouac

occupying　a　superficies　of　330　square　feet；　and　the　other　a

captive　balloon　resembling　a　Zeppelin。　　The　prizes　offered　were

L500；　L200；　and　L802；500；　1；000　and　400respectively；　and

were　awarded　to　those　who　made　the　greatest　number　of　hits。　　The

conditions　were　by　no　means　so　onerous　as　those　imposed　in　the

Michelin　contest；　inasmuch　as　the　altitude　limit　was　set　at　660

feet；　while　no　machine　was　to　descend　within　165　feet。　　The　first

competitor　completely　failed　to　hit　the　balloon。　　The　second

competitor　flying　at　800　feet　landed　seven　bombs　within　the

square；　but　only　one　other　competitor　succeeded　in　placing　one

bomb　within　the　space。



Bomb…dropping　under　the　above　conditions；　however；　is　vastly

dissimilar　from　such　work　under　the　grim　realities　of　war。　　The

airman　has　to　act　quickly；　take　his　enemy　by　surprise；　avail

himself　of　any　protective　covering　which　may　exist；　and　incur

great　risks。　　The　opposing　forces　are　overwhelmingly　against　him。　

The　modern　rifle；　if　fired　vertically　into　the　air；　will　hurl　the

bullet　to　a　height　of　about　5；000　feet；　while　the　weapons　which

have　been　designed　to　combat　aircraft　have　a　range　of　10；000　feet

or　more。



At　the　latter　altitude　aggressive　tactics　are　useless。　　The

airman　is　unable　to　obtain　a　clear　sharp　view　of　the　country

beneath　owing　to　the　interference　offered　to　vision　by

atmospheric　haze；　even　in　the　dearest　of　weather。　　In　order　to

obtain　reasonable　accuracy　of　aim　the　corsair　of　the　sky　must　fly

at　about　400　feet。　　In　this　respect；　however；　the　aeroplane　is　at

a　decided　advantage；　as　compared　with　the　dirigible。　　The　machine

offers　a　considerably　smaller　target　and　moves　with　much　greater

speed。　　Experience　of　the　war　has　shown　that　to　attempt　to　hurl

bombs　from　an　extreme　height　is　merely　a　waste　of　ammunition。　

True；　they　do　a　certain　amount　of　damage；　but　this　is　due　to

luck；　not　judgment。



For　success　in　aerial　bomb　operations　the　human　element　is　mainly

responsible。　　The　daring　airman　is　likely　to　achieve　the　greatest

results；　as　events　have　proved；　especially　when　his　raid　is

sudden　and　takes　the　enemy　by　surprise。　　The　raids　carried　out　by

Marix；　Collet；　Briggs；　Babington；　Sippe　and　many　others　have

established　this　fact　incontrovertibly。　　In　all　these　operations

the　airmen　succeeded　because　of　their　intrepidity　and　their

decision　to　take　advantage　of　cover；　otherwise　a　prevailing　mist

or　low…lying　clouds。　　Flight…Lieutenant　Collet　approached　the

Zeppelin　shed　at　Dusseldorf　at　an　altitude　of　6；000　feet。　　There

was　a　bank　of　mist　below；　which　he　encountered　at　1；500　feet。　　He

traversed　the　depth　of　this　layer　and　emerged　therefrom　at　a

height　of　only　400　feet　above　the　ground。　　His　objective　was

barely　a　quarter　of　a　mile　ahead。　　Travelling　at　high　speed　he

launched　his　bombs　with　what　proved　to　be　deadly　precision；　and

disappeared　into　cover　almost　before　the　enemy　had　grasped　his

intentions。　　Lieutenant…Commander；　now　Flight…Commander；　Marix

was　even　more　daring。　　Apparently　he　had　no　mist　in　which　to

conceal　himself　but　trusted　almost　entirely　to　the　speed　of　his

machine；　which　probably　at　times　notched　90　miles　per　hour。　

Although　his　advent　was　detected　and　he　was　greeted　with　a

spirited　fusillade　he　clung　to　his　determined　idea。　　He　headed

straight　for　the　Zeppelin　shed；　launched　two　bombs　and　swung　into

the　higher　reaches　of　the　air　without　a　moment's　hesitation。　　His

aim　was　deadly；　since　both　bombs　found　their　mark；　and　the

Zeppelin　docked　within　was　blown　up。　　The　intrepid　airman

experienced　several　narrow　escapes；　for　his　aeroplane　was　struck

twenty　times；　and　one　or　two　of　the　control　wires　were　cut　by

passing　bullets。



The　raid　carried　out　by　Commanders　Briggs　and　Babington　in

company　with　Lieutenant　Sippe　upon　the　Zeppelin　workshops　at

Friedrichshafen　was　even　more　daring。　　Leaving　the　Allies'　lines

they　ascended　to　an　altitude　of　4；500　feet；　and　at　this　height

held　to　the　pre…arranged　course　until　they　encountered　a　mist；

which　while　protecting　them　from　the　alert　eyes　of　the　enemy

below；　was　responsible　for　the　separation　of　the　raiders；　so　that

each　was　forced　to　act　independently　and　to　trust　to　the　compass

to　bring　him　out　of　the　ordeal　successfully。　　Lieutenant　Sippe

sighted　Lake　Constance；　and　taking　advantage　of　the　mist　lying

low　upon　the　water；　descended　to　such　an　extent　that　he　found

himself　only　a　few　feet　above　the　roofs　of　the　houses。　　Swinging

roundto　the　Lake　he　descended　still　lower　until　at　last　he　was

practically　skimming　the　surface　of　the　Lake；　since　he　flew　at

the　amazingly　low　height　of　barely　seven　feet　off　the　water。　

There　is　no　doubt　that　the　noise　of　his　motor　was　heard　plainly

by　the　enemy；　but　the　mist　completely　enveloped　him；　and　owing　to

the　strange　pranks　that　fog　plays　with　sound　deceived　his

antagonists。



At　last；　climbing　above　the　bank　of　vapour；　he　found　that　he　had

overshot　the　mark；　so　he　turned　quickly　and　sped　backwards。　　At

the　same　time　he　discovered　that　he　had　been　preceded　by

Commander　Briggs；　who　was　bombarding　the　shed　furiously；　and　who

himself　was　the　object　of　a　concentrated　fire。　　Swooping　down

once　more；　Lieutenant　Sippe　turned；　rained　his　bombs　upon　the

objective　beneath；　drawing　fire　upon　himself；　but　co…operating

with　Commander　Babington；　who　had　now　reached　the　scene；　he

manoeuvred　above　the　works　and　continued　the　bombardment　until

their　ammunition　was　expended；　when　they　sped　home…wards　under

the　cover　of　the　mist。　　Considering　the　intensity　of　the　hostile

fire；　it　is　surprising　that　the　aeroplanes　were　not　smashed　to

fragments。　　Undoubtedly　the　high　speed　of　the　machines　and　the

zigzagging　courses　which　were　followed　nonplussed　the　enemy。　　

Commander　Briggs　was　not　so　fortunate　as　his　colleagues；　a　bullet

pierced　his　petrol　tank；　compelling　a　hurried　descent。



The　most　amazing　feature　of　these　aerial　raids　has　been　the

remarkably　low　height　at　which　the　airmen　have　ventured　to　fly。　

While　such　a　procedure　facilitates　marksmanship　it　increases　the

hazards。　　The　airmen　have　to　trust　implicitly　to　the　fleetness　of

their　craft　and　to　their　own　nerve。　　Bearing　in　mind　the

vulnerability　of　the　average　aeroplane；　and　the　general　absence

of　protective　armouring　against　rifle　fire　at　almost　point…blank

range；　it　shows　the　important　part　which　the　human　element　is

compelled　to　play　in　bomb…dropping　operations。



Another　missile　which　has　been　introduced　by　the　French　airmen；

and　which　is　extremely　deadly　when　hurled　against　dense　masses　of

men；　is　the　steel　arrow；　or　〃flechette〃　as　it　is　called。　　It　is　a

fiendish　projectile　consisting　in　reality　of　a　pencil　of　solid

polished　steel；　4　3/4　inches　in　length。　　The　lower　end　has　a

sharp　tapering　point；　5/8ths　of　an　inch　in　length。　　For　a

distance　of　1　1/8th　of　an　inch　above　this　point　the　cylindrical

form　of　the　pencil　is　preserved；　but　for　the　succeeding　three

inches　to　the　upper　end；　the　pencil　is　provided　with　four　equally

spaced　angle　flanges　or　vanes。　　This　flanging　of　the　upper　end　or

tail　ensures　the　arrow　spinning　rapidly　as　it　falls　through　the

air；　and　at　the　same　times　preserves　its　vertical　position　during

its　descent。　　The　weight　of　the　arrow　is　two…thirds　of　an　ounce。



The　method　of　launching　this　fearsome　projectile　is　ingenious。　　A

hundred　or　even　more　are　packed　in　a　vertical　position　in　a

special　receptacle；　placed　upon　the　floor　of　the　aeroplane；

preferably　near　the　foot　of　the　pilot　or　observer。　　This

receptacle　is　fitted　with　a　bottom　moving　in　the　manner　of　a

trap…door；　and　is　opened　by　pressing　a　lever。　　The　aviator　has

merely　to　depress　this　pedal　with　his　foot；　when　the　box　is

opened　and　the　whole　of　the　contents　are　released。　　The　fall　at

first　is　somewhat　erratic；　but　this　is　an　advantage；　as　it

enables　the　darts　to　scatter　and　to　cover　a　wide　area。　　As　the

rotary　motion　of　the　arrows　increases　during　the　fall；　the　direct

line　of　flight　becomes　more　pronounced　until　at　last　they　assume

a　vertical　direction　free　from　all　wobbling；　so　that　when　they

alight　upon　the　target　they　are　quite　plumb。



When　launched　from　a　height　they　strike　the　objective　with

terrific　force；　and　will　readily　penetrate　a　soldier's　helmet　and

skull。　　Indeed；　when　released　at　a　height　of　4；000　feet　they　have

been　known　to　pierce　a　mounted　soldier's　head；　and　pass

vertically　through　his　body　and　that　of　his　horse　also。　　Time

after　time　German　soldiers　have　found　themselves　pinned　to　the

ground　through　the　arrow　striking　and　penetrating　their　feet。　

Owing　to　the　extremely　light　weight　of　the　darts　they　can　be

launched　in　batches　of　hundreds　at　a　time；　and　in　a　promi