aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第21章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



almostimpossible　to　hit　from　the　ground；　as　sighting　is　so

extremely　difficult。　　Sighting　from　another　machine；　which

likewise　is　travelling　rapidly；　and　pursuing　an　irregular　path；

is　far　more　so。　　Unless　the　attacker　can　approach　relatively

closely　to　his　enemy　the　possibility　of　hitting　him　is　extremely

remote。　　Rifle　or　gun…fire　must　be　absolutely　point　blank。



When　a　marauding　aeroplane　is　espied　the　attacking　corsair

immediately　struggles　for　the　strategical　position；　which　is

above　his　adversary。　　To　fire　upwards　from　one　aeroplane　at

another　is　virtually　impossible；　at　least　with　any　degree　of

accuracy。　　The　marksman　is　at　a　hopeless　disadvantage。　　If　the

pilot　be　unaccompanied　and　entirely　dependent　upon　his　own

resources　he　cannot　hope　to　fire　vertically　above　him；　for　the

simple　reason　that　in　so　doing　he　must　relinquish　control　of　his

machine。　　A　rifle　cannot　possibly　be　sighted　under　such

conditions；　inasmuch　as　it　demands　that　the　rifleman　shall　lean

back　so　as　to　obtain　control　of　his　weapon　and　to　bring　it　to

bear　upon　his　objective。　　Even　if　a　long　range　Mauser　or　other

automatic　pistol　of　the　latest　type　be　employed；　two　hands　are

necessary　for　firing　purposes；　more　particularly　as；　under　such

conditions；　the　machine；　if　not　kept　under　control；　is　apt　to

lurch　and　pitch　disconcertingly。



Even　a　colleague　carried　for　the　express　purpose　of　aggression　is

handicapped。　　If　he　has　a　machinegun；　such　as　a　Maxim　or　a

mitrailleuse；　it　is　almost　out　of　the　question　to　train　it

vertically。　　Its　useful　vertical　training　arc　is　probably　limited

to　about　80　degrees；　and　at　this　elevation　the　gunner　has　to

assume　an　extremely　uncomfortable　position；　especiauy　upon　an

aeroplane；　where；　under　the　best　of　circumstances；　he　is　somewhat

cramped。



On　the　other　hand　the　man　in　the　aeroplane　above　holds　the

dominating　position。　　He　is　immediately　above　his　adversary　and

firing　may　be　carried　out　with　facility。　　The　conditions　are

wholly　in　his　favour。　　Sighting　and　firing　downwards；　even　if

absolutely　vertically；　imposes　the　minimum　physical　effort；　with

the　result　that　the　marksman　is　able　to　bring　a　steadier　aim　upon

his　adversary。　　Even　if　the　machine　be　carrying　only　the　pilot；

the　latter　is　able　to　fire　upon　his　enemy　without　necessarily

releasing　control　of　his　motor；　even　for　a　moment。



If　he　is　a　skilled　sharpshooter；　and　the　exigencies　demand；　he

can　level；　sight；　and　fire　his　weapon　with　one　hand；　while　under

such　circumstances　an　automatic　self…loading　pistol　can　be

trained　upon　the　objective　with　the　greatest　ease。　　If　the

warplane　be　carrying　a　second　person；　acting　as　a　gunner；　the

latter　can　maintain　an　effective　rifle　fusillade；　and；　at　the

same　time；　manipulate　his　machine…gun　with　no　great　effort；

maintaining　rifle　fire　until　the　pilot；　by　manoeuvring；　can

enable　the　mitrailleuse　or　Maxim　to　be　used　to　the　greatest

advantage。



Hence　the　wonderful　display　of　tactical　operations　when　two

hostile　aeroplanes　sight　one　another。　　The　hunted　at　first

endeavours　to　learn　the　turn　of　speed　which　his　antagonist

commands。　　If　the　latter　is　inferior；　the　pursued　can　either

profit　from　his　advantage　and　race　away　to　safety；　or　at　once

begin　to　manoeuvre　for　position。　　If　he　is　made　of　stern　stuff；

he　attempts　the　latter　feat　without　delay。　　The　pursuer；　if　he

realises　that　he　is　out　classed　in　pace；　divines　that　his　quarry

will　start　climbing　if　he　intends　to　show　fight；　so　he　begins　to

climb　also。



Now　success　in　this　tactical　move　will　accrue　to　the　machine

which　possesses　the　finest　climbing　powers；　and　here　again；　of

course；　speed　is　certain　to　count。　　But；　on　the　other　hand；　the

prowess　of　the　aviatorthe　human　element　once　moremust　not　be

ignored。　　The　war　has　demonstrated　very　convincingly　that　the

personal　quality　of　the　aviator　often　becomes　the　decisive

factor。



A　spirited　contest　in　the　air　is　one　of　the　grimmest　and　most

thrilling　spectacles　possible　to　conceive；　and　it　displays　the

skill　of　the　aviator　in　a　striking　manner。　　Daring　sweeps；

startling　wheels；　breathless　vol…planes；　and　remarkable　climbs

are　carried　out。　　One　wonders　how　the　machine　can　possibly

withstand　the　racking　strains　to　which　it　is　subjected。　　The

average　aeroplane　demands　space　in　which　to　describe　a　turn；　and

the　wheel　has　to　be　manipulated　carefully　and　dexterously；　an

operation　requiring　considerable　judgment　on　the　part　of　the

helmsman。



But　in　an　aerial　duel　discretion　is　flung　to　the　winds。　　The

pilot　jambs　his　helm　over　in　his　keen　struggle　to　gain　the

superior　position；　causing　the　machine　to　groan　and　almost　to

heel　over。　　The　stem　stresses　of　war　have　served　to　reveal　the

perfection　of　the　modern　aeroplane　together　with　the　remarkable

strength　of　its　construction。　　In　one　or　two　instances；　when　a

victor　has　come　to　earth；　subsequent　examination　has　revealed　the

enormous　strains　to　which　the　aeroplane　has　been　subjected。　　The

machine　has　been　distorted；　wires　have　been　brokenwires　which

have　succumbed　to　the　enormous　stresses　which　have　been　imposed

and　have　not　been　snapped　by　rifle　fire。　　One　well…known　British

airman；　who　was　formerly　a　daring　automobilist；　confided　to　me

that　a　fight　in　the　air　〃is　the　finest　reliability　trial　for　an

aeroplane　that　was　ever　devised！〃



In　these　desperate　struggles　for　aerial　supremacy　the　one　party

endeavours　to　bring　his　opponent　well　within　the　point…blank

range　of　his　armament：　the　other　on　his　part　strives　just　as

valiantly　to　keep　well　out　of　reach。　　The　latter　knows　fully　well

that　his　opponent　is　at　a　serious　disadvantage　when　beyond

point…blank　range；　for　the　simple　reason　that　in　sighting　the

rifle　or　automatic　pistol；　it　is　difficult；　if　not　impossible

while　aloft；　to　judge　distances　accurately；　and　to　make　the

correct　allowances　for　windage。



If；　however；　the　dominating　aviator　is　armed　with　a　machine　gun

he　occupies　the　superior　position；　because　he　can　pour　a　steady

hail　of　lead　upon　his　enemy。　　The　employment　of　such　a　weapon

when　the　contest　is　being　waged　over　friendly　territory　has　many

drawbacks。　　Damage　is　likely　to　be　infficted　among　innocent

observers　on　the　earth　below；　the　airman　is　likely　to　bombard　his

friends。　　For　this　very　reason　promiscuous　firing；　in　the　hope

of　a　lucky　shot　finding　a　billet　in　the　hostile　machine；　is　not

practised。　　Both　parties　appear　to　reserve　their　fire　until　they

have　drawn　within　what　may　be　described　as　fighting　distance；

otherwise　point　blank　range；　which　may　be　anything　up　to　300

yards。



Some　of　the　battles　between　the　German　and　the　French　or　British

aeroplanes　have　been　waged　with　a　total　disregard　of　the

consequences。　　Both　realise　that　one　or　the　other　must　perish；

and　each　is　equally　determined　to　triumph。　　It　is　doubtful

whether　the　animosity　between　the　opposing　forces　is　manifested

anywhere　so　acutely　as　in　the　air。　　In　some　instances　the　combat

has　commenced　at　300　feet　or　so　above　the　earth；　and　has　been

fought　so　desperately；　the　machines　climbing　and　endeavouring　to

outmanoeuvre　each　other；　that　an　altitude　of　over　5；000　feet　has

been　attained　before　they　have　come　to　close　grips。



The　French　aviator　is　nimble；　and　impetuous：　the　German　aviator

is　daring；　but　slow　in　thought：　the　British　airman　is　a　master　of

strategy；　quick　in　thought；　and　prepared　to　risk　anything　to

achieve　his　end。　　The　German　airman　is　sent　aloft　to　reconnoitre

the　enemy　and　to　communicate　his　information　to　his　headquarters。　

That　is　his　assigned　duty　and　he　performs　it　mechanically；

declining　to　fight；　as　the　welfare　of　his　colleagues　below　is

considered　to　be　of　more　vital　importance　than　his　personal

superiority　in　an　aerial　contest。　　But　if　he　is　cornered　he

fights　with　a　terrible　and　fatalistic　desperation。



The　bravery　of　the　German　airmen　is　appreciated　by　the　Allies。　

The　French　flying…man；　with　his　traditional　love　for　individual

combat；　seeks　and　keenly　enjoys　a　duel。　　The　British　airman

regards　such　a　contest　as　a　mere　incident　in　the　round　of

duty；　but　willingly　accepts　the　challenge　when　it　is　offered。　　It

is　this　manifestation　of　what　may　be　described　as　acquiescence　in

any　development　that　enabled　the　British　flying　corps；　although

numerically　inferior；　to　gain　its　mastery　of　the　air　so

unostentatiously　and　yet　so　completely。



All　things　considered　an　aeroplane　duel　is　regarded　as　a　fairly

equal　combat。　　But　what　of　a　duel　between　an　aeroplane　and　a

dirigible？　　Which　holds　the　advantage？　　This　question　has　not

been　settled；　at　any　rate　conclusively；　but　it　is　generally

conceded　that　up　to　a　certain　point　the　dirigible　is　superior。

It　certainly　offers　a　huge　and　attractive　target；　but　rifle　fire

at　its　prominent　gas…bag　is　not　going　to　cause　much　havoc。　　The

punctures　of　the　envelope　may　represent　so　many　vents　through

which　the　gas　within　may　effect　a　gradual　escape；　but

considerable　time　must　elapse　before　the　effect　of　such　a

bombardment　becomes　pronounced　in　its　result；　unless　the　gas…bag

is　absolutely　riddled　with　machine　gun…fire；　when　descent　must　be

accelerated。



On　the　other　hand；　it　is　to　be　presumed　that　the　dirigible　is

armed。　　In　this　event　it　has　a　distinct　advantage。　　It　has　a

steady　gun…platform　enabling　the　weapons　of　offence　to　be　trained

more　easily　and　an　enhanced　accuracy　of；fire　to　be　obtained。　　In

order　to　achieve　success　it　is　practically　imperative　that　an

aeroplane　should　obtain　a　position　above　the　dirigible；　but　the

latter　can　ascend　in　a　much　shorter　space　of　time；　because　its

ascent　is　vertical；　whereas　the　aeroplane　must　describe　a　spiral

in　climbing。　　Under　these　circumstances　it　is　relatively　easy　for

the　airship　to　outmanoeuvre　the　aeroplane　in　the　vertical　plane；

and　to　hold　the　dominating　position。



But　even　should　the　aeroplane　obtain　the　upper　position　it　is　not

regarded　with　fear。　　Some　of　the　latest　Zeppelins　have　a　machine

gun　mounted　upon　the　upper　surface　of　the　envelope；　which　can

be　trained　through　360　degrees　and　elevated　to　about　80　degrees

vertical。　　Owing　to　the　steady　gun　platform　offered　it　holds

command　in　gun…fire；　so　that　the　aeroplane；　unless　the　aviator　is

exceptionally　daring；　will　not　venture　within　the　range　of

the　dirigible。　　It　is　stated；　however；　that　this　upper　gun　has

proved　unsatisfactory；　owing　to　the　stresses　and　strains　imposed

upon　the　framework　of　the　envelope　of　the　Zeppelin　during　firing；

and　it　has　apparently　been　abandoned。　　The　position；　however；　is

still　available　for　a　sniper　or　sharpshooter。



The　position　in　the　sky　between　two　such　combatants　is　closely

analogous　to　that　of　a　torpedo　boat　and　a　Dreadnought。　　The

latter；　so　long　as　it　can　keep　the　former　at　arm's；　or　rather

gun's；　distance　is　perfectly　safe。　　The　torpedo　boat　can　only

aspire　to　harass　its　enemy　by　buzzing　around；　hoping　that　a　lucky

o