aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第29章

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thrilling　spectacles　possible　to　conceive；　and　it　displays　the

skill　of　the　aviator　in　a　striking　manner。　　Daring　sweeps；

startling　wheels；　breathless　vol…planes；　and　remarkable　climbs

are　carried　out。　　One　wonders　how　the　machine　can　possibly

withstand　the　racking　strains　to　which　it　is　subjected。　　The

average　aeroplane　demands　space　in　which　to　describe　a　turn；　and

the　wheel　has　to　be　manipulated　carefully　and　dexterously；　an

operation　requiring　considerable　judgment　on　the　part　of　the

helmsman。



But　in　an　aerial　duel　discretion　is　flung　to　the　winds。　　The

pilot　jambs　his　helm　over　in　his　keen　struggle　to　gain　the

superior　position；　causing　the　machine　to　groan　and　almost　to

heel　over。　　The　stem　stresses　of　war　have　served　to　reveal　the

perfection　of　the　modern　aeroplane　together　with　the　remarkable

strength　of　its　construction。　　In　one　or　two　instances；　when　a

victor　has　come　to　earth；　subsequent　examination　has　revealed　the

enormous　strains　to　which　the　aeroplane　has　been　subjected。　　The

machine　has　been　distorted；　wires　have　been　brokenwires　which

have　succumbed　to　the　enormous　stresses　which　have　been　imposed

and　have　not　been　snapped　by　rifle　fire。　　One　well…known　British

airman；　who　was　formerly　a　daring　automobilist；　confided　to　me

that　a　fight　in　the　air　〃is　the　finest　reliability　trial　for　an

aeroplane　that　was　ever　devised！〃



In　these　desperate　struggles　for　aerial　supremacy　the　one　party

endeavours　to　bring　his　opponent　well　within　the　point…blank

range　of　his　armament：　the　other　on　his　part　strives　just　as

valiantly　to　keep　well　out　of　reach。　　The　latter　knows　fully　well

that　his　opponent　is　at　a　serious　disadvantage　when　beyond

point…blank　range；　for　the　simple　reason　that　in　sighting　the

rifle　or　automatic　pistol；　it　is　difficult；　if　not　impossible

while　aloft；　to　judge　distances　accurately；　and　to　make　the

correct　allowances　for　windage。



If；　however；　the　dominating　aviator　is　armed　with　a　machine　gun

he　occupies　the　superior　position；　because　he　can　pour　a　steady

hail　of　lead　upon　his　enemy。　　The　employment　of　such　a　weapon

when　the　contest　is　being　waged　over　friendly　territory　has　many

drawbacks。　　Damage　is　likely　to　be　infficted　among　innocent

observers　on　the　earth　below；　the　airman　is　likely　to　bombard　his

friends。　　For　this　very　reason　promiscuous　firing；　in　the　hope

of　a　lucky　shot　finding　a　billet　in　the　hostile　machine；　is　not

practised。　　Both　parties　appear　to　reserve　their　fire　until　they

have　drawn　within　what　may　be　described　as　fighting　distance；

otherwise　point　blank　range；　which　may　be　anything　up　to　300

yards。



Some　of　the　battles　between　the　German　and　the　French　or　British

aeroplanes　have　been　waged　with　a　total　disregard　of　the

consequences。　　Both　realise　that　one　or　the　other　must　perish；

and　each　is　equally　determined　to　triumph。　　It　is　doubtful

whether　the　animosity　between　the　opposing　forces　is　manifested

anywhere　so　acutely　as　in　the　air。　　In　some　instances　the　combat

has　commenced　at　300　feet　or　so　above　the　earth；　and　has　been

fought　so　desperately；　the　machines　climbing　and　endeavouring　to

outmanoeuvre　each　other；　that　an　altitude　of　over　5；000　feet　has

been　attained　before　they　have　come　to　close　grips。



The　French　aviator　is　nimble；　and　impetuous：　the　German　aviator

is　daring；　but　slow　in　thought：　the　British　airman　is　a　master　of

strategy；　quick　in　thought；　and　prepared　to　risk　anything　to

achieve　his　end。　　The　German　airman　is　sent　aloft　to　reconnoitre

the　enemy　and　to　communicate　his　information　to　his　headquarters。　

That　is　his　assigned　duty　and　he　performs　it　mechanically；

declining　to　fight；　as　the　welfare　of　his　colleagues　below　is

considered　to　be　of　more　vital　importance　than　his　personal

superiority　in　an　aerial　contest。　　But　if　he　is　cornered　he

fights　with　a　terrible　and　fatalistic　desperation。



The　bravery　of　the　German　airmen　is　appreciated　by　the　Allies。　

The　French　flying…man；　with　his　traditional　love　for　individual

combat；　seeks　and　keenly　enjoys　a　duel。　　The　British　airman

regards　such　a　contest　as　a　mere　incident　in　the　round　of

duty；　but　willingly　accepts　the　challenge　when　it　is　offered。　　It

is　this　manifestation　of　what　may　be　described　as　acquiescence　in

any　development　that　enabled　the　British　flying　corps；　although

numerically　inferior；　to　gain　its　mastery　of　the　air　so

unostentatiously　and　yet　so　completely。



All　things　considered　an　aeroplane　duel　is　regarded　as　a　fairly

equal　combat。　　But　what　of　a　duel　between　an　aeroplane　and　a

dirigible？　　Which　holds　the　advantage？　　This　question　has　not

been　settled；　at　any　rate　conclusively；　but　it　is　generally

conceded　that　up　to　a　certain　point　the　dirigible　is　superior。

It　certainly　offers　a　huge　and　attractive　target；　but　rifle　fire

at　its　prominent　gas…bag　is　not　going　to　cause　much　havoc。　　The

punctures　of　the　envelope　may　represent　so　many　vents　through

which　the　gas　within　may　effect　a　gradual　escape；　but

considerable　time　must　elapse　before　the　effect　of　such　a

bombardment　becomes　pronounced　in　its　result；　unless　the　gas…bag

is　absolutely　riddled　with　machine　gun…fire；　when　descent　must　be

accelerated。



On　the　other　hand；　it　is　to　be　presumed　that　the　dirigible　is

armed。　　In　this　event　it　has　a　distinct　advantage。　　It　has　a

steady　gun…platform　enabling　the　weapons　of　offence　to　be　trained

more　easily　and　an　enhanced　accuracy　of；fire　to　be　obtained。　　In

order　to　achieve　success　it　is　practically　imperative　that　an

aeroplane　should　obtain　a　position　above　the　dirigible；　but　the

latter　can　ascend　in　a　much　shorter　space　of　time；　because　its

ascent　is　vertical；　whereas　the　aeroplane　must　describe　a　spiral

in　climbing。　　Under　these　circumstances　it　is　relatively　easy　for

the　airship　to　outmanoeuvre　the　aeroplane　in　the　vertical　plane；

and　to　hold　the　dominating　position。



But　even　should　the　aeroplane　obtain　the　upper　position　it　is　not

regarded　with　fear。　　Some　of　the　latest　Zeppelins　have　a　machine

gun　mounted　upon　the　upper　surface　of　the　envelope；　which　can

be　trained　through　360　degrees　and　elevated　to　about　80　degrees

vertical。　　Owing　to　the　steady　gun　platform　offered　it　holds

command　in　gun…fire；　so　that　the　aeroplane；　unless　the　aviator　is

exceptionally　daring；　will　not　venture　within　the　range　of

the　dirigible。　　It　is　stated；　however；　that　this　upper　gun　has

proved　unsatisfactory；　owing　to　the　stresses　and　strains　imposed

upon　the　framework　of　the　envelope　of　the　Zeppelin　during　firing；

and　it　has　apparently　been　abandoned。　　The　position；　however；　is

still　available　for　a　sniper　or　sharpshooter。



The　position　in　the　sky　between　two　such　combatants　is　closely

analogous　to　that　of　a　torpedo　boat　and　a　Dreadnought。　　The

latter；　so　long　as　it　can　keep　the　former　at　arm's；　or　rather

gun's；　distance　is　perfectly　safe。　　The　torpedo　boat　can　only

aspire　to　harass　its　enemy　by　buzzing　around；　hoping　that　a　lucky

opportunity　will　develop　to　enable　it　to　rush　in　and　to　launch

its　torpedo。　　It　is　the　same　with　the　aeroplane　when　arrayed

against　a　Zeppelin。　　It　is　the　mosquito　craft　of　the　air。



How　then　can　a　heavier…than…air　machine　triumph　over　the　unwieldy

lighter…than…air　antagonist？　　Two　solutions　are　available。　　If　it

can　get　above　the　dirigible　the　adroplane　may　bring　about　the

dirigible's　destruction　by　the　successful　launch　of　a　bomb。　　The

detonation　of　the　latter　would　fire　the　hydrogen　within　the

gas…bag　or　bags；　in　which　event　the　airship　would　fall　to　earth　a

tangled　wreck。　　Even　if　the　airship　were　inflated　with　a

non…inflammable　gasthe　Germans　claim　that　their　Zeppelins　now

are　so　inflatedthe　damage　wrought　by　the　bomb　would　be　so

severe　as　to　destroy　the　airship's　buoyancy；　and　it　would　be

forced　to　the　ground。



The　alternative　is　very　much　more　desperate。　　It　involves　ramming

the　dirigible。　　This　is　undoubtedly　possible　owing　to　the　speed

and　facile　control　of　the　aeroplane；　but　wh