aeroplanes-第31章

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tail；　so　that　the　two　can　be　readily　distinguished。



On　one　occasion；　during　the　lull　in　the　battle；

two　of　the　Taubes　approached　the　area　above　the

French　lines；　and　after　ascending　to　a　great

height；　began　the　volplane　toward　their　own　lines。

Such　a　maneuver　was　found　to　be　the　most　advantageous；

as　it　gave　the　scouting　aeroplane　the

advantage　of　being　able　to　discover　the　positions

and　movements　with　greater　ease；　and　at　the　same

time；　in　case　of　accident　to　the　machine；　the　impetus

of　the　flight　would　be　to　their　own　lines。



Three　of　the　French　aeroplanes　at　once　began

their　circling　flight；　mounting　higher　and　higher；

but　without　attempting　to　go　near　the　Taubes。

When　the　French　ships　had　gained　the　proper

altitude；　they　closed　in　toward　the　German　ships；

before　the　latter　could　reach　their　own　lines　in

their　volplaning　act。



This　meant　that　they　must　retreat　or　fight；　and

the　crack　of　the　guns　showed　that　it　meant　a

struggle。　The　monoplanes　circled　about　with

incredible　skill；　pouring　forth　shot　after　shot。

Soon　one　of　the　Taubes　was　seen　to　flutter。

This　was　the　signal　for　a　more　concentrated　attack

on　her。



The　army　in　the　trenches；　and　on　the　fields　below；

witnessed　the　novel　combat。　The　flying

ships　were　now　approaching　the　earth；　but　the

gunners　below　dared　not　use　their　guns；　because

in　the　maneuvers　they　would　be　as　likely　to　strike

friend　as　foe。



The　wounded　Taube　was　now　shooting　to　the

earth；　and　the　two　monoplanes　began　to　give　their

attention　to　the　other　ship；　which　was　attempting

to　escape　to　the　north。　The　flash　of　the　guns　of

all　the　fliers　could　be　plainly　seen；　but　the　sounds

were　drowned　by　the　roar　of　the　great　conflict　all

about　them。



The　Taube　could　not　escape　the　net　around　her。

She；　too；　was　doomed。　A　shot　seemed　to　strike

the　gasoline　tank；　and　the　framework　was　soon

enveloped　in　flames。　Then　she　turned　sidewise；

as　the　material　on　one　side　burned　away；　and

skidding　to　the　left　she　darted　to　the　earth；

a　shapeless　mass。



It　was　found　that　the　aviator　was　not　hurt　by

the　shot；　but　was；　undoubtedly；　killed　by　the　impact

with　the　earth。　The　observer　was　riddled

with　bullets；　and　was　likely　dead　before　the　ship

reached　the　earth。



In　the　western　confines　of　Belgium；　near　Ypres；

the　British　employed　numerous　aircraft；　many　of

them　biplanes；　and　at　all　times　they　were　in　the

air；　reporting　observations。　Many　of　the　flying

fights　have　been　recorded；　and　the　reports　when

published　will　be　most　thrilling　reading。



HOW　AEROPLANES　REPORT　OBSERVATIONS。It

may　be　of　some　interest　to　know　how　aeroplanes

are　able　to　report　observations　to　the　commanders

in　the　field；　from　the　airship　itself。　Many

ingenious　devices　have　been　devised　for　this　purpose。



SIGNAL　FLAGS。The　best　known　and　most　universally

used　method　is　by　the　use　of　signaling

flags。　Suppose　the　commander　of　a　force　is　desirous

of　getting　the　range　of　a　hidden　battery；

or　a　massed　force　in　his　front。　The　observer　in

the　aeroplane　will　sail　over　the　area　at　an　understood

altitude；　say　one　mile　in　height。



The　officer　in　charge　of　the　battery；　knowing

the　height　of　the　airship；　is　able；　by　means　of

the　angle　thus　given　him；　to　get　the　distance　between

his　battery　and　the　concealed　point　beneath

the　airship。　The　observer　in　the　airship；　of

course；　signals　the　engineer　officer；　the　exact　point

or　time　when　the　airship　is　directly　above；　and

this　gives　him　the　correct　angle。



The　guns　of　the　battery　are　then　directed　and

fired　so　as　to　reach　the　concealed　point。　It　is

now　important　to　be　able　to　send　intelligible　signals

to　the　officer　in　charge　of　the　battery。　If　the

shot　goes　beyond　the　mark；　the　observer　in　the

airship　raises　the　flag　above　his　head；　which　indicates

that　it　was　too　high。



HOW　USED。If　the　shot　fell　short　he　would

lower　the　flag。　If　the　shot　landed　too　far　to　the

right；　this　would　be　indicated　by　the　flag；　and　if

too　far　to　the　left；　the　signal　would；　in　like　manner；

be　sufficient　to　enable　the　gunners　to　correct

the　guns。



When　the　exact　range　is　obtained　the　observer

in　the　ship　waves　the　flag　about　his　head；　in

token　of　approval。　All　this　work　of　noting　the

effect　of　the　shots　must　be　taken　while　the　airship

is　under　fire；　and　while　circling　about　within

visual　range　of　the　concealed　object　below。



The　officer　in　charge　of　the　battery；　as　well　as

the　observer　on　the　flying　craft；　must　be　equipped

with　powerful　glasses；　so　the　effect　of　the　shots

may　be　noted　on　the　one　hand；　and　the　signals

properly　read　by　the　officer　on　the　other　hand。



It　may　be　said；　however；　that　air　battles　have

not　been　frequent　and　that　they　have　been　merely

incidents　of　the　conditions　under　which　they　were

operated。　The　mission　of　the　aeroplane　is　now

conceded　to　be　purely　one　of　observation；　such　as

we　have　described。



Both　French　and　German　reports　are　full　of

incidents　showing　the　value　of　observations；　and

also　concerning　the　effects　of　bombs。　Extracts

from　the　diaries　of　prisoners　gave　many　interesting

features　of　the　results　of　aeroplane　work。



CASUALTIES　DUE　TO　AEROPLANES。In　the　diary

of　one　was　found　the　remark：　〃I　was　lucky　to

escape　the　bomb　thrown　by　a　French　aviator　at

Conrobet；　which　killed　eight　of　my　companions。〃



Another　says：　〃The　Seventh　Company　of　the

Third　Regiment　of　the　Guard　had　eight　killed　and

twenty…two　wounded　by　bomb　from　a　French　aeroplane。〃



Another：　〃An　officer　showed　us　a　torn　coat

taken　from　one　of　sixty　soldiers　wounded　by　a

bomb　from　an　aeroplane。〃



A　prisoner　says：　〃Near　Neuville　an　aeroplane

bomb　dropped　on　a　supply　train；　killed　four　men；

wounded　six；　and　killed　a　considerable　number　of

horses。〃



The　Belgians；　after　their　defeat　and　the　capture

of　Antwerp；　were　forced　to　the　west　along

the　coast。　In　some　way　they　learned　that　the

Kaiser　was　about　to　occupy　a　chateau　near　Dixmunde。

Several　aviators　flew　above　the　position

and　dropped　a　number　of　bombs　on　the　building；

completely　wrecking　it；　and　it　was　fortunate　that

the　Emperor　left　the　building　only　twenty　minutes

before；　as　several　of　his　aides　and　soldiers

on　duty　were　killed。



On　numerous　occasions　the　headquarters　of　the

different　commanders　have　been　discovered　and

had　to　be　moved　to　safer　places。



During　all　these　wonderful　exploits　which　will

live　in　history　because　men　had　the　opportunity

during　the　war　to　use　them　for　the　first　time　in

actual　conflict；　the　official　reports　have　not

mentioned　the　aviators　by　name。　The　deaths　of　the

brave　men　have　brought　forth　the　acknowledgments

of　their　services。　During　the　first　three

months　of　the　war　it　is　estimated　that　over　sixty

aviators　and　aides　had　lost　their　lives　in　the　conflict

on　the　two　great　battle　lines。　This　does　not

take　into　account　those　who　met　death　on　the

Zeppelins；　of　which　five　had　been　destroyed　during

that　time。



THE　END





GLOSSARY　OF　WORDS　USED　IN　TEXT　OF　THIS　VOLUME



Where　a　word　has　various　meanings；　that　definition　is　given

which　will　express　the　terms　used　by　the　author　in　explaining

the　mechanism　or　subject　to　which　it　refers。



Aviation。　The　art　of　flying。



Altitude。　Height；　a　vertical　distance　above　any　point。



Attraction。　The　art　or　process　of　drawing　towards。



Allusion。　Referring　to　a　certain　thing。



Assume。　Taking　it　for　granted。



Accentuated。　To　lay　great　stress　upon　a　thing。



Angle　of　Movement。　Any　direction　which　is　upwardly　or　downwardly；

as　distinguished　from　the　direction　of　movement　which　is　either

to　the　right　or　to　the　left。



Acquire。　To　obtain；　to　recover；　to　procure。



Analogous。　Corresponding　to　or　resembling　some　other　thing　or

object。



Air　Hole。　A　term　used　to　express　a　condition　in　flying　where　the

machine　while　in　horizontal　flight　takes　a　sudden　drop；　due　to

counter　cur