aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第20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！



one　and　all　follow　faithfully　in　the　leader's　trail。　　One　or　more

machines　may　fail　in　the　attack；　and　may　even　meet　with　disaster；

but　nothing　interferes　with　the　movements　of　the　squadron　as　a

whole。　　It　is　the　homogeneity　of　the　attacking　fleet　which　tells；

and　which　undermines　the　moral　of　the　enemy；　even　if　it　does　not

wreak　decisive　material　devastation。　　The　work　accomplished　to

the　best　of　their　ability；　the　airmen　speed　back　to　their　lines

in　the　same　formation。



At　first　sight　reconnoitring　from　aloft　may　appear　a　simple

operation；　but　a　little　reflection　will　reveal　the　difficulties

and　arduousness　of　the　work。　　The　observer；　whether　he　be

specially　deputed；　or　whether　the　work　be　placed　in　the　hand　of

the　pilot　himselfin　this　event　the　operation　is　rendered

additionally　trying；　as　he　also　has　to　attend　to　his　machine

must　keep　his　eyes　glued　to　the　ground　beneath　and　at　the　same

time　be　able　to　read　the　configuration　of　the　panorama　revealed

to　him。　　He　must　also　keep　in　touch　with　his　map　and　compass；　so

as　to　be　positive　of　his　position　and　direction。　　He　must　be　a

first…class　judge　of　distances　and　heights。



When　flying　rapidly　at　a　height　of　4；000　feet　or　more；　the

country　below　appears　as　a　perfect　plane；　or　flat　stretch；

although　as　a　matter　of　fact　it　may　be　extremely　undulating。　

Consequently；　it　is　by　no　means　a　simple　matter　to　distinguish

eminences　and　depressions；　or　to　determine　the　respective　and

relative　heights　of　hills。



If　a　rough　sketch　is　required；　the　observer　must　be　rapid　in

thought；　quick　in　determination；　and　facile　with　his　pencil；　as

the　machine；　no　matter　how　it　may　be　slowed　down；　is　moving　at　a

relatively　high　speed。　　He　must　consult　his　map　and　compass

frequently；　since　an　airman　who　loses　his　bearings　is　useless　to

his　commander…in…chief。　　He　must　have　an　eagle　eye；　so　as　to　be

able　to　search　the　country　unfolded　below；　in　order　to　gather　all

the　information　which　is　likely　to　be　of　value　to　his　superior

officers。　　He　must　be　able　to　judge　accurately　the　numbers　of

troops　arrayed　beneath　him；　the　lines　of　the　defensive　works；　to

distinguish　the　defended　from　the　dummy　lines　which　are　thrown　up

to　baffle　him；　and　to　detect　instantly　the　movement　of　the　troops

and　the　direction；　as　well　as　the　roads；　along　which　they　are

proceeding。　　Reserves　and　their　complement；　artillery；

railway…lines；　roads；　and　bridges；　if　any；　over　streams　and

railways　must　be　notedin　short　he　must　obtain　an　eye　photograph

of　the　country　he　observes　and　grasp　exactly　what　is　happening

there。　　In　winter；　with　the　thermometer　well　down；　a

blood…freezing　wind　blowing；　wreaths　of　clouds　drifting　below　and

obscuring　vision　for　minutes　at　a　time；　the　rain　possibly　pelting

down　as　if　presaging　a　second　deluge；　the　plight　of　the　vigilant

human　eye　aloft　is　far　from　enviable。



Upon　the　return　of　the　machine　to　its　base；　the　report　must　be

prepared　without　delay。　　The　picture　recorded　by　the　eye　has　to

be　set　down　clearly　and　intelligibly　with　the　utmost　speed。　　The

requisite　indications　must　be　made　accurately　upon　the　map。　

Nothing　of　importance　must　be　omitted：　the　most　trivial　detail　is

often　of　vital　importance。



A　facile　pencil　is　of　inestimable　value　in　such　operations。　

While　aloft　the　observer　does　not　trust　to　his　memory　or　his　eye

picture；　but　commits　the　essential　factors　to　paper　in　the　form

of　a　code；　or　what　may　perhaps　be　described　more　accurately　as　a

shorthand　pictorial　interpretation　of　the　things　he　has

witnessed。　　To　the　man　in　the　street　such　a　record　would　be

unintelligible；　but　it　is　pregnant　with　meaning；　and　when　worked

out　for　the　guidance　of　the　superior　officers　is　a　mass　of

invaluable　detail。



At　times　it　so　happens　that　the　airman　has　not　been　able　to

complete　his　duty　within　the　time　anticipated　by　those　below。　

But　he　has　gathered　certain　information　which　he　wishes　to

communicate　without　coming　to　earth。　　Such　data　may　be　dropped

from　the　clouds　in　the　form　of　maps　or　messages。　　Although

wireless　telegraphy　is　available　for　this　purpose；　it　suffers

from　certain　drawbacks。　　If　the　enemy　possesses　an　equipment

which　is　within　range　of　that　of　the　air…craft　and　the　force　to

which　it　belongs；　communications　may　be　nullified　by　the　enemy

throwing　out　a　continuous　stream　of　useless　signals　which　〃jamb〃

the　intelligence　of　their　opponents。



If　a　messagewritten　in　codeor　a　map　is　to　be　dropped　from

aloft　it　is　enclosed　within　a　special　metallic　cylinder；　fitted

with　a　vane　tail　to　ensure　direction　of　flight　when　launched；　and

with　a　detonating　head。　　This　is　dropped　overboard。　　When　it

strikes　the　ground　the　detonator　fires　a　charge　which　emits　a

report　without　damaging　the　message　container；　and　at　the　same

time　fires　a　combustible　charge　emitting　considerable　smoke。　　The

noise　attracts　anyone　in　the　vicinity　of　the　spot　where　the

message　has　fallen；　while　at　the　same　time　the　clouds　of　smoke

guide　one　to　the　point　and　enable　the　cylinder　to　be　recovered。　

This　device　is　extensively　used　by　the　German　aviators；　and　has

proved　highly　serviceable；　a　similar　contrivance　is　adopted　by

French　airmen。



There　is　one　phase　of　aerial　activity　which　remains　to　be

demonstrated。　　This　is　the　utilisation　of　aerial　craft　by　the

defenders　of　a　besieged　position　such　as　a　ring　of　fortifications

or　fortified　city。　　The　utility　of　the　Fourth　Arm　in　this

province　has　been　the　subject　of　considerable　speculation。　

Expert　opinion　maintains　that　the　advantage　in　this　particular

connection　would　rest　with　the　besiegers。　　The　latter　would　be

able　to　ascertain　the　character　of　the　defences　and　the　defending

gun…force；　by　means　of　the　aerial　scout；　who　would　prove　of

inestimable　value　in　directing　the　fire　of　the　besieging　forces。



On　the　other　hand　it　is　maintained　that　an　aerial　fleet　would　be

useless　to　the　beleaguered。　　In　the　first　place　the　latter　would

experience　grave　difficulties　in　ascertaining　the　positions　of

the　attacking　and　fortress…reducing　artillery；　inasmuch　as　this

could　be　masked　effectively；　and　it　is　thought　that　the　aerial

force　of　the　besieged　would　be　speedily　reduced　to　impotence；

since　it　would　be　subjected　to　an　effective　concentrated　fire

from　the　ring　of　besieging　anti…aircraft　guns　and　other　weapons。　

In　other　words；　the　theory　prevails　that　an　aerial　fleet；　no

matter　how　efficient；　would　be　rendered　ineffective　for　the

simple　reason　that　it　would　be　the　initial　object　of　the

besieger's　attack。　　Possibly　the　stem　test　of　experience　will

reveal　the　fallacy　of　these　contentions　as　emphatically　as　it　has

disproved　others。　　But　there　is　one　point　upon　which　authorities

are　unanimous。　　If　the　artillery　of　the　investing　forces　is

exposed　and　readily　distinguishable；　the　aerial　forces　of　the

beleaguered　will　bring　about　its　speedy　annihilation；　as　the

defensive　artillery　will　be　concentrated　upon　that　of　the

besiegers。







CHAPTER　IX

THE　AIRMAN　AND　ARTILLERY



There　is　one　field　in　which　the　airman　has　achieved　distinctive

triumphs。　　This　is　in　the　guidance　of　artillery　fire。　　The　modern

battle　depends　first　and　foremost　upon　the　fierce　effec　tiveness

of　big…gun　assault；　but　to　ensure　this　reliable　direction　is

imperative。　　No　force　has　proved　so　invaluable　for　this　purpose

as　the　man　of…the…air；　and　consequently　this　is　the　province　in

which　he　has　been　exceptionally　and　successfully　active。



It　will　be　recalled　that　in　the　Japanese　investiture　of　Port

Arthur　during　the　Russo…Japanese　war；　thousands　of　lives　were

expended　upon　the　retention　and　assault　of　203　Metre　Hill。　　It

was　the　most　blood…stained　spot　upon　the　whole　of　the　Eastern

Asiatic　battlefield。　　General　Nogi　threw　thousands　after

thousands　of　his　warriors　against　this　rampart　while　the　Russians

defended　it　no　less　resolutely。　　It　was　captured　and　re…captured；

in　fact；　the　fighting　round　this　eminence　was　so　intense