aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第13章

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Zeppelin。　　That　the　above　calculation　is　within　reason　is

supported　by　the　statements　of　Count　Zeppelin　himself；　who　has

declared　that　his　airships　are　useless　at　a　height　exceeding

5；000　feet。　　Confirmatory　evidence　upon　this　point　is　offered　by

the　raid　upon　the　British　East　Coast　towns；　when　it　is　stated

that　the　aircraft　were　manoeuvring　at　a　height　not　exceeding

2；000　feet。







CHAPTER　VI

THE　MILITARY　VALUE　OF　GERMANY'S　AERIAL　FLEET



Although　the　Zeppelin　undoubtedly　has　been　over…rated　by　the

forces　to　which　it　is　attached；　at　the　same　time　it　must　not　be

under…estimated　by　its　detractors。　　Larger　and　more　powerful

vessels　of　this　type　have　been；　and　still　are　being；　constructed；

culminating；　so　far　as　is　known；　in　the　〃L…5；〃　which　is　stated　to

have　a　capacity　of　about　1；000；000　cubic　feet；　and　to　possess　an

average　speed　of　65　miles　per　hour。



While　it　is　generally　maintained　that　the　Zeppelins　will　prove

formidable　in　attack；　greater　reliance　is　being　placed　upon　the

demoralising　or　terrifying　effect　which　they　are　able　to

exercise。　　Owing　to　the　fact　that　from　3　to　5　tons　of　fuelsay

900　to　1；500　gallons　of　gasoline　or　petrolcan　be　carried

aboard；　giving　them　a　wide　radius　of　action；　it　is　doubtful

whether　they　could　travel　from　Cologne　to　London　and　back　upon　a

single　fuel　charge；　since　such　a　raid　would　entail　a　journey　of

about　600　miles。　　The　latest　types　of　this　craft　are　said　to

possess　a　high　ascensional　speed；　which　offers　a　distinct

protection　against　aeroplane　attack。　　According　to　such　official

information　as　has　been　vouchsafed；　a　Zeppelin；　when　hard

pressed；　is　able　to　rise　vertically　3；500　feet　in　about　three

minutes。　　This　is　far　in　excess　of　the　ascensional　speed　of　even

the　speediest　aeroplane。　　of　course；　the　penalty　for　such　a

factor　has　to　be　paid：　the　loss　of　gas　is　appreciable　and　may

lead　to　the　craft's　ultimate　undoing。　　At　the　same　time；　however；

it　is　able　to　maintain　the　superior　position　as　compared　with

the　aeroplane　for　a　considerable　period：　the　upper　reaches　of　the

air　are　its　sanctuary。



Nor　must　the　nocturnal　activities　of　the　Zeppelin　be　overlooked。　

So　far　as　night　operations　by　these　vessels　are　concerned；　little

has　leaked　out；　so　that　the　possibilities　of　the　airship　in　this

direction　are　still　somewhat　hypothetical。　　The　fact　remains；

however；　that　it　is　night　movements　which　perhaps　are　the　most　to

be　dreaded　by　the　enemy。　　According　to　official　German　sources　of

information　the　latest　types　of　Zeppelins　are　engined　by

〃noiseless〃　motors。　　There　is　nothing　remarkable　in　this　feature；

since　the　modern　motor…car　virtually　answers　to　this　description；

although　in　this　instance　quietness　is　obtained　for　the　most　part

by　recourse　to　the　sleeve…valve　engine。　　Still；　the　ordinary

Otto…cycle　internal　combustion　engine　can　be　rendered　almost

silent　by　the　utilisation　of　adequate　muffling　devices；　which；　in

the　Zeppelin；　are　more　possible　of　incorporation　than　in　the

aeroplane；　because　the　extra　weight　imposed　by　this　acquisition

is　a　minor　consideration　in　comparison　with　the　lifting　power　of

the　vessel。



Night　operations；　however；　have　not　proved　eminently　successful。　

The　very　darkness　which　protects　the　aerial　prowler　also　serves　a

similar　purpose　in　connection　with　its　prey。　　But　aerial

operations　under　the　cover　of　darkness　are　guided　not　so　much　by

the　glare　of　lights　from　below　as　betrayal　by　sound。　　The

difference　between　villages　and　cities　may　be　distinguished　from

aloft；　say　at　1；500　to　3；000　feet；　by　the　hum　which　life　and

movement　emit；　and　this　is　the　best　guide　to　the　aerial　scout　or

battleship。　　The　German　authorities　have　made　a　special　study　of

this　peculiar　problem；　and　have　conducted　innumerable　tests　upon

the　darkest　nights；　when　even　the　sheen　of　the　moon　has　been

unavailable；　for　the　express　purpose　of　training　the　aerial

navigators　to　discover　their　position　from　the　different　sounds

reaching　them　from　below。　　In　other　words；　the　corsair　in　the

skies　depends　more　upon　compass　and　sound　than　upon　compass　and

vision　when　operating　after　dark。　　The　searchlights　with　which

the　Zeppelins　are　equipped　are　provided　merely　for　illuminating

a　supposed　position。　　They　are　not　brought　into　service　until

the　navigator　concludes　that　he　has　arrived　above　the　desired

point：　the　ray　of　light　which　is　then　projected　is　merely　to

assist　the　crew　in　the　discharge　of　the　missiles　of　destruction。



The　Zeppelin；　however；　owing　to　its　speed；　both　in　the　horizontal

and　vertical　planes；　is　essentially　a　unit　for　daylight

operations。　　The　other　airships　which　Germany　possesses；　and

which　for　the　most　part　are　of　the　non…rigid　type；　are　condemned

to　daylight　operations　from　the　character　of　their　design。　　Owing

to　their　low　speeds　they　may　be　dismissed　as　impossible　aerial

vessels　for　hazardous　work　and　are　not　regarded　by　the　German

authorities　as　all…round　airships　of　war。



Craft　of　the　air　are　judged　in　Germany　from　the　one　standard

only。　　This　may　be　a　Teutonic　failing；　but　it　is　quite　in　keeping

with　the　Teutonic　spirit　of　militarism。　　Commercialism　is　a

secondary　factor。　　To　the　German　Emperor　an　airship　is　much　what

a　new　manufacturing　process　or　machine　is　to　the　American。　

Whereas　the　latter　asks；　〃How　much　will　it　save　me　on　the

dollar？〃　to　the　War　Lord　of　Germanyand　an　airship

notwithstanding　its　other　recommendatory　features　is　judged

solely　from　this　standpointthe　question　is　〃What　are　its

military　qualifications？〃



When　the　semi…rigid　airship　〃V…I〃　was　brought　before　the　notice

of　the　German　military　department　the　pressing　point　concerning

its　military　recommendations　arose　at　once。　　The　inventor　had

foreseen　this　issue　and　was　optimistic。　　Thereupon　the

authorities　asked　if　the　inventor　were　prepared　to　justify　his

claims。　　The　retort　was　positive。　　Forthwith　the　Junkers　decided

to　submit　it　to　the　test。



This　ship　is　of　quite　a　distinctive　type。　　It　is　an　aerial

cruiser；　and　the　inventor　claims　that　it　combines　all　the

essential　qualifications　of　the　Zeppelin　and　of　the　competitors

of　the　latter；　in　addition　to　the　advantage　of　being　capable　of

dissection；　transportation　in　parts；　and　rapid　re…erection　at　any

desired　spot。　　The　length　of　the　vessel　is　about　270　feet；

maximum　diameter　approximately　42　feet；　and　capacity　about

300；000　cubic　feet。　　The　outstanding　feature　is　a　rigid

keel…frame　forming　a　covered　passage　way　below　the　envelope　or

gas…bag；　combined　with　easy　access　to　all　parts　of　the　craft

while　under　way；　together　with　an　artificial　stiffening　which

dispenses　with　the　necessity　of　attaching　any　additional　cars。　

The　frame　is　so　designed　that　the　load；　as　well　as　the　ballast

and　fuel　tanks；　may　be　distributed　as　desired；　and　at　the　same

time　it　ensures　an　advantageous　disposition　of　the　steering

mechanism；　far　removed　from　the　centre　of　rotation　at　the　stern；

without　any　overloading　of　the　latter。



The　lifting　part　of　the　airship　comprises　a　single　gas　bag　fitted

with　two　ballonets　provided　to　ensure　the　requisite　gas…tension

in　the　main　envelope；　while　at　the　same　time　permitting；　in　times

of　emergency；　a　rapid　change　of　altitude。　　Self…contained　blowers

contribute　to　the　preservation　of　the　shape　of　the　envelope；　the

blowers　and　the　ballonets　being　under　the　control　of　the　pilot。　

Planes　resembling　Venetian　blinds　facilitate　vertical　steering；

while　the　suspension　of　the　keel　is　carried　out　in　such　a　manner

as　to　secure　uniformity　of　weight　upon　the　gas　bag。　　The

propelling　power　comprises　two　sets　of　internal　combustion

engines；　each　developing　130　horse…power；　the　transmission　being

through　rubber　belting。　　The　propellers；　built　of　wood；　make　350

revolutions　per　minute；　and　are　set　as　closely　as　possible　to　the

centre　of　resistance。



But　the　most　salient　characteristic　of　this　machine　is　its

portability。　　It　can　be　dismantled　and　transporte