the mastery of the air(操纵空气)-第23章
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Service。 These tests； providing for fuel capacity up to 4。0 miles； speeds up
to 85 miles an hour； and heights up to 3500 feet； would now be regarded
as very elementary affairs。 〃Looping the loop〃 was still a dangerous trick
for the exhibiting airman and not an evolution； while the 〃nose…dive〃 was
an uncalculated entry into the next world。
The first important stage in the history of the new arm was reached in
July； 1914； when the wing system was abolished； and the Royal Naval Air
Service became a separate unit of the Imperial Forces。 The first public
appearance of the sailor airmen was at a proposed review of the fleet by
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the King at a test mobilization。 The King was unable to attend； but the
naval pilots carried out their part of the programme very creditably
considering the polyglot nature of their sea…planes。 A few weeks later and
the country was at war。
There can be no doubt that the Great War has had an enormous forcing
influence upon the science of aviation。 In times of peace the old game of
private enterprise and official neglect would possibly have been carried on
in well…marked stages。 But with the terrific incentive of victory before
them； all Governments fostered the growth of the new arm by all the
means in their power。 It became a race between Allied and enemy
countries as to who first should attain the mastery of the air。 The British
nation； as usual； started well behind in the race； and their handicap would
have been increased to a dangerous extent had Germany not been obsessed
by the possibilities of the air…ship as opposed to the aeroplane。 Fortunately
for us the Zeppelin； as has been described in an earlier chapter； failed to
bring about the destruction anticipated by its inventor； and so we gained
breathing space for catching up the enemy in the building and equipment
of aeroplanes and the training of pilots and observers。
War has set up its usual screens； and the writer is only permitted a very
vague and impressionistic picture of the work of the R。F。C。 and R。N。A。S。
Numerical details and localities must be rigorously suppressed。
Descriptions of the work of the Flying Service must be almost as bald as
those laconic reports sent in by naval and military airmen to head…quarters。
But there is such an accomplishment as reading between the lines。
The flying men fall naturally into two classespilots and observers。
The latter； of course； act as aerial gunners。 The pilots have to pass through
three； and observers two； successive courses of training in aviation。
Instruction is very detailed and thorough as befits a career which； in
addition to embracing the endless problems of flight； demands knowledge
of wireless telegraphy； photography； and machine gunnery。
Many of the officers are drafted into the Royal Flying Corps from
other branches of the Service； but there are also large numbers of civilians
who take up the career。 In their case they are first trained as cadets； and；
after qualifying for commissions； start their training in aviation at one of
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the many schools which have now sprung up in all parts of the country。
When the actual flying men are counted in thousands some idea may
be gained of the great organization required for the Corpsthe schools and
flying grounds； the training and activities of the mechanics； the workshops
and repair shops； the storage of spare parts； the motor transport； &c。 As in
other departments of the Service； women have come forward and are
doing excellent and most responsible work； especially in the motor…
transport section。
A very striking feature of the Corps is the extreme youth of the
members； many of the most daring fighters in the air being mere boys of
twenty。
The Corps has the very pick of the youth and daring and enterprise of
the country。 In the days of the old army there existed certain unwritten
laws of precedence as between various branches of the Service。 If such
customs still prevail it is certain that the very newest arm would take pride
of place。 The flying man has recaptured some of the glamour and romance
which encircled the knight…errant of old。 He breathes the very atmosphere
of dangerous adventure。 Life for him is a series of thrills； any one of which
would be sufficient to last the ordinary humdrum citizen for a lifetime。
Small wonder that the flying man has captured the interest and affection of
the people； and all eyes follow these trim； smart； desperadoes of the air in
their passage through our cities。
As regards the work of the flying man the danger curve seems to be
changing。 On the one hand the training is much more severe and exacting
than formerly was the case； and so carries a greater element of danger。 On
the other hand on the battle…front fighting information has in great
measure taken the place of the system of men going up 〃on their own〃。
They are perhaps not so liable to meet with a numerical superiority on the
part of enemy machines； which spelt for them almost certain destruction。
For a long time the policy of silence and secrecy which screened 〃the
front〃 from popular gaze kept us in ignorance of the achievements of our
airmen。 But finally the voice of the people prevailed in their demand for
more enlightenment。 Names of regiments began to be mentioned in
connection with particular successes。 And in the same way the heroes of
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the R。F。C。 and R。N。A。S。 were allowed to reap some of the laurels they
deserved。
It began to be recognized that publication of the name of an airman
who had destroyed a Zeppelin； for instance； did not constitute any vital
information to the enemy。 In a recent raid upon London the names of the
two airmen； Captain G。 H。 Hackwill； R。F。C。； and Lieutenant C。 C。 Banks；
R。F。C。； who destroyed a Gotha； were given out in the House of Commons
and saluted with cheers。 In the old days the secretist party would have
regarded this publication as a policy which led the nation in the direct line
of 〃losing the war〃。
In the annals of the Flying Service； where dare…devilry is taken as a
matter of course and hairbreadth escapes from death are part of the daily
routine； it is difficult to select adventures for special mention； but the
following episodes will give a general idea of the work of the airman in
war。
The great feat of Sub…Lieutenant R。 A。 J。 Warneford； R。N。A。S。； who
single…handed attacked and destroyed a Zeppelin； has already been
referred to in Chapter XIII。 Lieutenant Warneford was the second on the
list of airmen who won the coveted Cross； the first recipient being Second…
Lieutenant Barnard Rhodes…Moorhouse； for a daring and successful bomb…
dropping raid upon Courtrai in April； 1915。 As has happened in so many
cases； the award to Lieutenant Rhodes…Moorhouse was a posthumous one；
the gallant airman having been mortally wounded during the raid； in spite
of which he managed by flying low to reach his destination and make his
report。
A writer of adventure stories for boys would be hard put to it to invent
any situation more thrilling than that in which Squadron…Commander
Richard Bell Davies； D。S。O。； R。N。； and Flight Sub…Lieutenant Gilbert
Formby Smylie； R。N。； found themselves while carrying out an air attack
upon Ferrijik junction。 Smylie's machine was subjected to such heavy fire
that it was disabled； and the airman was compelled to plane down after
releasing all his bombs but one； which failed to explode。 The moment he
alighted he set fire to his machine。 Presently Smylie saw his companion
about to descend quite close to the burning machine。 There was infinite
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danger from the bomb。 It was a question of seconds merely before it must
explode。 So Smylie rushed over to the machine； took hasty aim with his
revolver； and exploded the bomb； just before the Commander came within
the danger zone。 Meanwhile the enemy had commenced to gather round
the two airmen； whereupon Squadron…Commander Davies coolly took up
the Lieutenant on his machine and flew away with him in safety back to
their lines。 Davies； who had already won the D。S。O。； was given the V。C。；
while his companion in this amazing adventure was granted the
Distinguished Service Cross。
The unexpectedness； to use no stronger term； of life in the R。F。C。 in
war…time is well exemplified by the adventure which befell Major Rees。
The pilot of a 〃fighter〃； he saw what he took to be a party of air machines
returning from a bombing expedition。 Proceeding to join them in the
character of escort； Major Rees made the unpleasant discovery that he was
just about to join a little party of ten enemy machines。 But so far from
being dismayed； the plucky airman actually gave battle to the whole ten。
One he quickly drove 〃down and out〃； as the soldiers say。 Attacked by five
others； he damaged two of them and dispersed the remainder。 Not content
with this； he gave chase to two more； and only broke off the engagement
when he had received a wound in the thigh。 Then he flew home to make
the usual laconic report。
No record of heroism in the air could be complete without mention of
Captain Ball； who has already figured in these pages。 When awarded the
V。C。 Captain Ball was already the holder of the following honours： D。S。0。；
M。C。； Cross of a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour； and the Russian order
of St。 George。 This heroic boy of twenty was a giant among a company of
giants。 Here follows the official account which accompanied his award：
〃Lieutenant （temporary Captain） ALBERT BALL； D。S。O。； M。C。； late
