aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第35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！



of　what　might　be　described　as　combined　or　squadron　attack。　　Six

or　eight　machines　advancing　together　towards　the　French　lines

somewhat　nonplussed　these　fleet　French　mosquito　craft；　and　to

a　certain　degree　nullified　their　superiority　in　pace。　　Speed

was　discounted；　for　the　simple　reason　that　the　enemy　when　so

massed　evinced　a　disposition　to　fight　and　to　follow　harassing

tactics　when　one　of　the　slowest　French　machines　ventured　into

the　air。



It　is　interesting　to　observe　that　aerial　operations；　now　that

they　are　being　conducted　upon　what　may　be　termed　methodical　lines

as　distinct　from　corsair　movements；　are　following　the　broad

fundamental　principles　of　naval　tactics。　　Homogeneous　squadrons；

that　is；　squadrons　composed　of　vessels　of　similar　type　and　armament；

put　out　and　follow　roughly　the　〃single　line　ahead〃　formation。

Upon　sighting　the　enemy　there　is　the　manoeuvring　for　position

advantage　which　must　accrue　to　the　speedier　protagonist。　　One

then；　witnesses　what　might　almost　be　described　as　an　application

of　the　process　of　capping　the　line　or　〃crossing　the　'T。'〃　This

tends　to　throw　the　slower　squadron　into　confusion　by　bending　it

back　upon　itself；　meanwhile　exposing　it　to　a　demoralizing　fire。



The　analogy　is　not　precisely　correct　but　sufficiently　so　to

indicate　that　aerial　battles　will　be　fought　much　upon　the　same

lines；　as　engagements　between　vessels　upon　the　water。　　If　the

manoeuvres　accomplish　nothing　beyond　breaking　up　and　scattering

the　foe；　the　result　is　satisfactory　in　as　much　as　in　this　event

it　is　possible　to　exert　a　driving　tendency　and　to　force　him　back

upon　the　lines　of　the　superior　force；　when　the　scattered　vessels

may　be　brought　within　the　zone　of　spirited　fire　from　the　ground。



Attacks　in　force　are　more　likely　to　prove　successful　than

individual　raiding　tactics；　as　recent　events　upon　the　battlefield

of　Europe　have　demonstrated　more　or　less　convincingly。　　An　attack

in　force　is　likely　to　cause　the　defenders　upon　the　ground　beneath

to　lose　their　heads　and　to　fire　wildly　and　at　random；　with　the

result　that　the　airmen　may　achieve　their　object　with　but　little

damage　to　themselves。　　This　method　of　attacking　in　force　was

essayed　for　the　first　time　by　the　British　aerial　fleet；　which

perhaps　is　not　surprising；　seeing　that　the　machines　are　manned

and　the　operations　supervised　by　officers　who　have　excelled　in

naval　training；　and　who　are　skilled　in　such　movements。



No　doubt　this　practice；　combined　with　the　daring　of　the　British

aviators；　contributed　very　materially　to　the　utter　demoralisation

of　the　German　aerial　forces；　and　was　responsible　for　that

hesitancy　to　attack　a　position　in　the　vicinity　of　the　British

craft　which　became　so　manifest　in　the　course　of　a　few　weeks　after

the　outbreak　of　hostilities。



One　of　the　foremost　military　experts　of　the　United　States；　who

passed　some　time　in　the　fighting　zone；　expressed　his　opinion　that

the　British　aerial　force　is　the　most　efficient　among　the

belligerents　when　considered　as　a　unit；　the　French　flier　being

described　by　the　same　authority　as　most　effective　when　acting

individually；　owing　to　personal　intrepidity。　　As　a　scout　the

French　aviator　is　probably　unequalled；　because　he　is　quick　to

perceive　and　to　collect　the　data　required；　and　when　provided　with

a　fast　machine　is　remarkably　nimble　and　venturesome　in　the　air。　　

The　British　aviators；　however；　work　as　a　whole；　and　in　the

particular　phases　where　such　tactics　are　profitable　have

established　incontestable　superiority。　　At　first　the　German

aerial　force　appeared　to　possess　no　settled　system　of　operation。

Individual　effort　was　pronounced；　but　it　lacked　method。　　The

Germans　have；　however；　profited　from　the　lessons　taught　by　their

antagonists；　and　now　are　emulating　their　tactics；　but　owing　to

their　imperfect　training　and　knowledge　the　results　they　achieve

appear　to　be　negligible。



The　dirigible　still　remains　an　unknown　quantity　in　these

activities；　although　strange　to　relate；　in　the　early　days　of　the

war；　the　work　accomplished　by　the　British　craft；　despite　their

comparatively　low　speed　and　small　dimensions；　excelled　in　value

that　achieved　by　the　warplanes。　　This　was　particularly　noticeable

in　matters　pertaining　to　reconnaissance；　more　especially　at

night；　when　the　British　vessels　often　remained　for　hours　together

in　the　air；　manoeuvring　over　the　hostile　lines；　and　gathering

invaluable　information　as　to　the　disposition　and　movements

of　the　opposing　forces。



But　it　is　probably　in　connection　with　naval　operations　that　the

British　aerial　fleet　excels。　　The　waterplanes　have　established

their　supremacy　over　the　naval　dirigible　in　a　striking　manner。　　

British　endeavour　fostered　the　waterplane　movement　and　has

carried　it　to　a　high　degree　of　perfection。　　The　waterplane　is　not

primarily　designed　to　perform　long　flights；　although　such　may　be

carried　out　if　the　exigencies　demand。　　The　practice　of　deputing

certain　vessels　to　art　as　〃parent　ships〃　to　a　covey　of

waterplanes　has　proved　as　successful　in　practice；　as　in　theory。　　

Again；　the　arrangements　for　conveying　these　machines　by　such

means　to　a　rendezvous；　and　there　putting　them　into　the　water　to

complete　a　certain　duty；　have　been　triumphantly　vindicated。

At　the　time　this　idea　was　embraced　it　met　with　a　certain　degree

of　hostile　criticism：　it　was　argued　that　the　association　of　the

two　fighting；　machines　would　tend　towards　confusion；　and　impair

the　efficiency　of　both。



Practice　has　refuted　this　theory。　　The　British　aerial　raids　upon

Cuxhaven　and　other　places　would　have　been　impossible；　and

probably　valueless　as　an　effective　move；　but　for　the　fact　that　it

was　possible　to　release　the　machines　from　a　certain　point　upon

the　open　sea；　within　easy　reach　of　the　cooperating　naval

squadron。　　True；　the　latter　was　exposed　to　hostile　attack　from

submarines；　but　as　results　proved　this　was　easy　to　repel。　　The

aircraft　were　enabled　to　return　to　their　base；　as　represented　by

the　rendezvous；　to　be　picked　up；　and　to　communicate　the

intelligence　gained　from　their　flight　to　the　authorities　in　a

shorter　period　of　time　than　would　have　been　possible　under　any

other　circumstances；　while　the　risk　to　the　airmen　was

proportionately　reduced。



The　fact　that　the　belligerents　have　built　up　such　huge　aerial

navies　conclusively　proves　that　the　military　value　of　the　Fourth

Arm　has　been　fully　appreciated。　　From　the　results　so　far　achieved

there　is　every　indication　that　activity　in　this　direction

will　be　increased　rather　than　diminished。











End