aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第28章

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percussion　fuses；　the　former　for　preference。　　These　shells　are

given　a　wide　cone　of　dispersion。　　Experiments　are　also　being　made

with　a　gun　similar　to　the　pom…pom　which　proved　so　useful　in　South

Africa；　the　gun　throwing　small　shells　varying　from　four　to　eight

ounces　in　weight　at　high　velocity　and　in　rapid　succession。　　While

such　missiles　would　not　be　likely　to　inflict　appreciable　damage

upon　an　armoured　aeroplane；　they　would　nevertheless　be

disconcerting　to　the　aviators　subjected　to　such　fire；　and　in

aerial　combats　the　successful　undermining　of　the　adversary's

moral　is　of　far　greater　importance　than　in　land　operations；　since

immediately　ascendancy　in　the　artillery　operations　is　attained

the　final　issue　is　a　matter　of　moments。



But　the　most　devastating　arm　which　has　yet　been　contrived　for

aerial　operations　is　the　light　machine　gun　which　has　recently

been　perfected。　　The　one　objective　with　this　weapon　is　to　disable

the　hostile　aircraft's　machinery。　　It　fires　an　armour　piercing

projectile　which；　striking　the　motor　of　any　aircraft；　would

instantly　put　the　latter　out　of　action。　　The　shell　has　a　diameter

of　about　。75　inch　and　weighs　about　four　ounces。　　The　gun　is　a

hybrid　of　the　mitrailleuse　and　the　French　〃Soixante…quinze；〃

combining　the　firing　rapidity　of　the　former　with　the　recoil

mechanism　of　the　latter。　　This　missile　has　established　its

ability　to　penetrate　the　defensive　armouring　of　any　aeroplane　and

the　motor　of　the　machine　at　1；000　yards'　range。　　This　offensive

arm　is　now　being　manufactured；　so　that　it　is　likely　to　be　seen　in

the　near　future　as　the　main　armament　of　aeroplanes。



At　the　moment　widespread　efforts　are　being　made　in　the　direction

of　increasing　the　offensive　efficiency　of　aircraft。　　It　is　one　of

the　phases　of　ingenuity　which　has　been　stimulated　into　activity

as　a　result　of　the　war。







CHAPTER　XII

BATTLES　IN　THE　AIR



Ever　since　the　days　of　Jules　Verne　no　theme　has　proved　so　popular

in　fiction　as　fighting　in　the　air。　　It　was　a　subject　which　lent

itself　to　vivid　imagination　and　spirited　picturesque　portrayal。　

Discussion　might　be　provoked；　but　it　inevitably　proved　abortive；

inasmuch　as　there　was　a　complete　absence　of　data　based　upon

actual　experience。　　The　novelist　was　without　any　theory：　he

avowedly　depended　upon　the　brilliance　of　his　imagination。　　The

critic　could　only　theorise；　and　no　matter　how　dogmatic　his

reasonings；　they　were　certainly　as　unconvincing　as　those　of　the

object　of　his　attack。



But　truth　has　proved　stranger　than　fiction。　　The　imaginative

pictures　of　the　novelist　have　not　only　been　fulfilled　but

surpassed；　while　the　theorising　critic　has　been　utterly

confounded。　　Fighting　in　the　air　has　become　so　inseparable　from

the　military　operations　of　to…day　that　it　occurs　with　startling

frequency。　　A　contest　between　hostile　aeroplanes；　hundreds　of

feet　above　the　earth；　is　no　longer　regarded　as　a　dramatic；

thrilling　spectacle：　it　has　become　as　matter…of…fact　as　a　bayonet

melee　between　opposed　forces　of　infantry。



A　duel　in　the　clouds　differs　from　any　other　form　of　encounter。　

It　is　fought　mercilessly：　there　can　be　no　question　of　quarter　or

surrender。　　The　white　flag　is　no　protection；　for　the　simple

reason　that　science　and　mechanical　ingenuity　have　failed；　so　far；

to　devise　a　means　of　taking　an　aeroplane　in　tow。　　The　victor　has

no　possible　method　of　forcing　the　vanquished　to　the　ground　in　his

own　territory　except　driving。　　If　such　a　move　be　made　there　is

the　risk　that　the　latter　will　take　the　advantage　of　a　critical

opportunity　to　effect　his　escape；　or　to　turn　the　tables。　　For

these　reasons　the　fight　is　fought　to　a　conclusive　finish。



To　aspire　to　success　in　these　combats　waged　in　the　trackless

blue；　speed；　initiative；　and　daring　are　essential。　　Success　falls

to　the　swift　in　every　instance。　　An　aeroplane　travelling　at　a

high　speed；　and　pursuing　an　undulating　or　irregular　trajectory　is

almostimpossible　to　hit　from　the　ground；　as　sighting　is　so

extremely　difficult。　　Sighting　from　another　machine；　which

likewise　is　travelling　rapidly；　and　pursuing　an　irregular　path；

is　far　more　so。　　Unless　the　attacker　can　approach　relatively

closely　to　his　enemy　the　possibility　of　hitting　him　is　extremely

remote。　　Rifle　or　gun…fire　must　be　absolutely　point　blank。



When　a　marauding　aeroplane　is　espied　the　attacking　corsair

immediately　struggles　for　the　strategical　position；　which　is

above　his　adversary。　　To　fire　upwards　from　one　aeroplane　at

another　is　virtually　impossible；　at　least　with　any　degree　of

accuracy。　　The　marksman　is　at　a　hopeless　disadvantage。　　If　the

pilot　be　unaccompanied　and　entirely　dependent　upon　his　own

resources　he　cannot　hope　to　fire　vertically　above　him；　for　the

simple　reason　that　in　so　doing　he　must　relinquish　control　of　his

machine。　　A　rifle　cannot　possibly　be　sighted　under　such

conditions；　inasmuch　as　it　demands　that　the　rifleman　shall　lean

back　so　as　to　obtain　control　of　his　weapon　and　to　bring　it　to

bear　upon　his　objective。　　Even　if　a　long　range　Mauser　or　other

automatic　pistol　of　the　latest　type　be　employed；　two　hands　are

necessary　for　firing　purposes；　more　particularly　as；　under　such

conditions；　the　machine；　if　not　kept　under　control；　is　apt　to

lurch　and　pitch　disconcertingly。



Even　a　colleague　carried　for　the　express　purpose　of　aggression　is

handicapped。　　If　he　has　a　machinegun；　such　as　a　Maxim　or　a

mitrailleuse；　it　is　almost　out　of　the　question　to　train　it

vertically。　　Its　useful　vertical　training　arc　is　probably　limited

to　about　80　degrees；　and　at　this　elevation　the　gunner　has　to

assume　an　extremely　uncomfortable　position；　especiauy　upon　an

aeroplane；　where；　under　the　best　of　circumstances；　he　is　somewhat

cramped。



On　the　other　hand　the　man　in　the　aeroplane　above　holds　the

dominating　position。　　He　is　immediately　above　his　adversary　and

firing　may　be　carried　out　with　facility。　　The　conditions　are

wholly　in　his　favour。　　Sighting　and　firing　downwards；　even　if

absolutely　vertically；　imposes　the　minimum　physical　effort；　with

the　result　that　the　marksman　is　able　to　bring　a　steadier　aim　upon

his　adversary。　　Even　if　the　machine　be　carrying　only　the　pilot；

the　latter　is　able　to　fire　upon　his　enemy　without　necessarily

releasing　control　of　his　motor；　even　for　a　moment。



If　he　is　a　skilled　sharpshooter；　and　the　exigencies　demand；　he

can　level；　sight；　and　fire　his　weapon　with　one　hand；　while　under

such　circumstances　an　automatic　self…loading　pistol　can　be

trained　upon　the　objective　with　the　greatest　ease。　　If　the

warplane　be　carrying　a　second　person；　acting　as　a　gunner；　the

latter　can　maintain　an　effective　rifle　fusillade；　and；　at　the

same　time；　manipulate　his　machine…gun　with　no　great　effort；

maintaining　rifle　fire　until　the　pilot；　by　manoeuvring；　can

enable　the　mitrailleuse　or　Maxim　to　be　used　to　the　greatest

advantage。



Hence　the　wonderful　display　of　tactical　operations　when　two

hostile　aeroplanes　sight　one　another。　　The　hunted　at　first

endeavours　to　learn　the　turn　of　speed　which　his　antagonist

commands。　　If　the　latter　is　inferior；　the　pursued　can　either

profit　from　his　advantage　and　race　away　to　safety；　or　at　once

begin　to　manoeuvre　for　position。　　If　he　is　made　of　stern　stuff；

he　attempts　the　latter　feat　without　delay。　　The　pursuer；　if　he

realises　that　he　is　out　classed　in　pace；　divines　that　his　quarry

will　start　climbing　if　he　intends　to　show　fight；　so　he　begins　to

climb　also。



Now　success　in　this　tactical　move　will　accrue　to　the　machine

which　possesses　the　finest　climbing　powers；　and　here　again；　of

course；　speed　is　certain　to　count。　　But；　on　the　other　hand；　the

prowess　of　the　aviatorthe　human　element　once　moremust　not　be

ignored。　　The　war　has　demonstrated　very　convincingly　that　the

personal　quality　of　the　aviator　often　becomes　the　decisive

factor。



A　spirited　contest　in　the　air　is　one　of　the　grimmest　and　most

thrilling　spectacles　possible　to　conceive；　and　it　displays　the

skil