aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第25章

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height　of　only　400　feet　above　the　ground。　　His　objective　was

barely　a　quarter　of　a　mile　ahead。　　Travelling　at　high　speed　he

launched　his　bombs　with　what　proved　to　be　deadly　precision；　and

disappeared　into　cover　almost　before　the　enemy　had　grasped　his

intentions。　　Lieutenant…Commander；　now　Flight…Commander；　Marix

was　even　more　daring。　　Apparently　he　had　no　mist　in　which　to

conceal　himself　but　trusted　almost　entirely　to　the　speed　of　his

machine；　which　probably　at　times　notched　90　miles　per　hour。　

Although　his　advent　was　detected　and　he　was　greeted　with　a

spirited　fusillade　he　clung　to　his　determined　idea。　　He　headed

straight　for　the　Zeppelin　shed；　launched　two　bombs　and　swung　into

the　higher　reaches　of　the　air　without　a　moment's　hesitation。　　His

aim　was　deadly；　since　both　bombs　found　their　mark；　and　the

Zeppelin　docked　within　was　blown　up。　　The　intrepid　airman

experienced　several　narrow　escapes；　for　his　aeroplane　was　struck

twenty　times；　and　one　or　two　of　the　control　wires　were　cut　by

passing　bullets。



The　raid　carried　out　by　Commanders　Briggs　and　Babington　in

company　with　Lieutenant　Sippe　upon　the　Zeppelin　workshops　at

Friedrichshafen　was　even　more　daring。　　Leaving　the　Allies'　lines

they　ascended　to　an　altitude　of　4；500　feet；　and　at　this　height

held　to　the　pre…arranged　course　until　they　encountered　a　mist；

which　while　protecting　them　from　the　alert　eyes　of　the　enemy

below；　was　responsible　for　the　separation　of　the　raiders；　so　that

each　was　forced　to　act　independently　and　to　trust　to　the　compass

to　bring　him　out　of　the　ordeal　successfully。　　Lieutenant　Sippe

sighted　Lake　Constance；　and　taking　advantage　of　the　mist　lying

low　upon　the　water；　descended　to　such　an　extent　that　he　found

himself　only　a　few　feet　above　the　roofs　of　the　houses。　　Swinging

roundto　the　Lake　he　descended　still　lower　until　at　last　he　was

practically　skimming　the　surface　of　the　Lake；　since　he　flew　at

the　amazingly　low　height　of　barely　seven　feet　off　the　water。　

There　is　no　doubt　that　the　noise　of　his　motor　was　heard　plainly

by　the　enemy；　but　the　mist　completely　enveloped　him；　and　owing　to

the　strange　pranks　that　fog　plays　with　sound　deceived　his

antagonists。



At　last；　climbing　above　the　bank　of　vapour；　he　found　that　he　had

overshot　the　mark；　so　he　turned　quickly　and　sped　backwards。　　At

the　same　time　he　discovered　that　he　had　been　preceded　by

Commander　Briggs；　who　was　bombarding　the　shed　furiously；　and　who

himself　was　the　object　of　a　concentrated　fire。　　Swooping　down

once　more；　Lieutenant　Sippe　turned；　rained　his　bombs　upon　the

objective　beneath；　drawing　fire　upon　himself；　but　co…operating

with　Commander　Babington；　who　had　now　reached　the　scene；　he

manoeuvred　above　the　works　and　continued　the　bombardment　until

their　ammunition　was　expended；　when　they　sped　home…wards　under

the　cover　of　the　mist。　　Considering　the　intensity　of　the　hostile

fire；　it　is　surprising　that　the　aeroplanes　were　not　smashed　to

fragments。　　Undoubtedly　the　high　speed　of　the　machines　and　the

zigzagging　courses　which　were　followed　nonplussed　the　enemy。　　

Commander　Briggs　was　not　so　fortunate　as　his　colleagues；　a　bullet

pierced　his　petrol　tank；　compelling　a　hurried　descent。



The　most　amazing　feature　of　these　aerial　raids　has　been　the

remarkably　low　height　at　which　the　airmen　have　ventured　to　fly。　

While　such　a　procedure　facilitates　marksmanship　it　increases　the

hazards。　　The　airmen　have　to　trust　implicitly　to　the　fleetness　of

their　craft　and　to　their　own　nerve。　　Bearing　in　mind　the

vulnerability　of　the　average　aeroplane；　and　the　general　absence

of　protective　armouring　against　rifle　fire　at　almost　point…blank

range；　it　shows　the　important　part　which　the　human　element　is

compelled　to　play　in　bomb…dropping　operations。



Another　missile　which　has　been　introduced　by　the　French　airmen；

and　which　is　extremely　deadly　when　hurled　against　dense　masses　of

men；　is　the　steel　arrow；　or　〃flechette〃　as　it　is　called。　　It　is　a

fiendish　projectile　consisting　in　reality　of　a　pencil　of　solid

polished　steel；　4　3/4　inches　in　length。　　The　lower　end　has　a

sharp　tapering　point；　5/8ths　of　an　inch　in　length。　　For　a

distance　of　1　1/8th　of　an　inch　above　this　point　the　cylindrical

form　of　the　pencil　is　preserved；　but　for　the　succeeding　three

inches　to　the　upper　end；　the　pencil　is　provided　with　four　equally

spaced　angle　flanges　or　vanes。　　This　flanging　of　the　upper　end　or

tail　ensures　the　arrow　spinning　rapidly　as　it　falls　through　the

air；　and　at　the　same　times　preserves　its　vertical　position　during

its　descent。　　The　weight　of　the　arrow　is　two…thirds　of　an　ounce。



The　method　of　launching　this　fearsome　projectile　is　ingenious。　　A

hundred　or　even　more　are　packed　in　a　vertical　position　in　a

special　receptacle；　placed　upon　the　floor　of　the　aeroplane；

preferably　near　the　foot　of　the　pilot　or　observer。　　This

receptacle　is　fitted　with　a　bottom　moving　in　the　manner　of　a

trap…door；　and　is　opened　by　pressing　a　lever。　　The　aviator　has

merely　to　depress　this　pedal　with　his　foot；　when　the　box　is

opened　and　the　whole　of　the　contents　are　released。　　The　fall　at

first　is　somewhat　erratic；　but　this　is　an　advantage；　as　it

enables　the　darts　to　scatter　and　to　cover　a　wide　area。　　As　the

rotary　motion　of　the　arrows　increases　during　the　fall；　the　direct

line　of　flight　becomes　more　pronounced　until　at　last　they　assume

a　vertical　direction　free　from　all　wobbling；　so　that　when　they

alight　upon　the　target　they　are　quite　plumb。



When　launched　from　a　height　they　strike　the　objective　with

terrific　force；　and　will　readily　penetrate　a　soldier's　helmet　and

skull。　　Indeed；　when　released　at　a　height　of　4；000　feet　they　have

been　known　to　pierce　a　mounted　soldier's　head；　and　pass

vertically　through　his　body　and　that　of　his　horse　also。　　Time

after　time　German　soldiers　have　found　themselves　pinned　to　the

ground　through　the　arrow　striking　and　penetrating　their　feet。　

Owing　to　the　extremely　light　weight　of　the　darts　they　can　be

launched　in　batches　of　hundreds　at　a　time；　and　in　a　promiscuous

manner　when　the　objective　is　a　massed　body　of　infantry　or

cavalry；　or　a　transport　convoy。　　They　are　extremely　effective

when　thrown　among　horses　even　from　a　comparatively　low　altitude；

not　so　much　from　the　fatalities　they　produce；　as　from　the　fact

that　they　precipitate　a　stampede　among　the　animals；　which　is

generally　sufficiently　serious　and　frantic　to　throw　cavalry　or　a

transport…train　into　wild　confusion。



Although　aerial　craft；　when　skilfully　handled；　have　proved　highly

successful　as　weapons　of　offence；　the　possibilities　of　such

aggression　as　yet　are　scarcely　realised；　aerial　tactics　are　in

their　infancy。　　Developments　are　moving　rapidly。　　Great　efforts

are　being　centred　upon　the　evolution　of　more　formidable　missiles

to　be　launched　from　the　clouds。　　The　airman　is　destined　to

inspire　far　greater　awe　than　at　present；　to　exercise　a　still　more

demoralising　influence；　and　to　work　infinitely　more　destruction。







CHAPTER　XI

ARMOURED　AEROPLANES



The　stern　test　of　war　has　served　to　reveal　conclusively　the　fact

that　aerial　craft　can　be　put　out　of　action　readily　and

effectively；　when　once　the　marksman　has　picked　up　the　range；

whether　the　gunner　be　conducting　his　operations　with　an　anti…

aircraft　gun　stationed　upon　the　ground；　or　from　a　hostile

machine。　　It　will　be　remembered　that　Flight…Commander　Briggs；　on

the　occasion　of　the　daring　British　raid　upon　the　Zeppelin　sheds

at　Friedrichshafen；　was　brought　to　the　ground　by　a　bullet　which

penetrated　his　fuel　tank。　　Several　other　vessels；　British；

German；　French；　and　Russian　alike；　have　been　thrown　out　of　action

in　a　similar　manner；　and　invariably　the　craft　which　has　been

disabled　suddenly　in　this　way　has　fallen　precipitately　to　earth

in　the　fatal　headlong　dive。



Previous　to　the　outbreak　of　hostilities　there　was　considerable

divergence　of　opinion　upon　this　subject。　　The　general　opinion　was

that　the　outspread　wings　and　the　stays　which　consti