aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第13节

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topic　of　the　momentone　which　has　created　intense　interest　and　a

certain　feeling　of　alarm　among　the　timorous。　　Although　sporadic

raids　are　considered　to　be　possible　and　likely　to　be　carried　out

with　a　varying　measure　of　successsuch　as　that　made　upon　the

British　East　Coasteminent　authorities　ridicule　an　invasion　in

force。　　The　risk　would　be　enormous；　although　there　is　no　doubt

that　Germany；　which　has　always　maintained　that　an　invasion　of

this　character　will　be　made；　will　be　compelled　to　essay　such　a

task；　in　order　to　satisfy　public　opinion；　and　to　justify　official

statements。　　It　is　a　moot　point；　however；　whether　the　invaders

ever　will　succeed　in　making　good　their　escape；　unless　Nature

proves　exceptionally　kind。



The　situation　is　best　summed　up　in　the　unbiassed　report　of

General　George　P。　Scriven；　Chief　Signal　officer　of　the　United

States　Army　to　the　U。S。　Secretary　of　War。　　In　this　report；　which

deals　exhaustively　with　the　history；　construction　and

achievements　of　airships；　such　an　invasion　is　described　as

fantastic　and　impracticable。　　Writing　on　November　10th；　1914；

the　officer　declares　that　〃he　is　not　prepared　to　recommend　the

American　Army　to　take　up　seriously　the　question　of

constructing　dirigibles；　as　they　are　not　worth　their　cost　as

offensive　machines；　while　for　reconnaissance　or　defence　they　are

of　far　less　value　than　aeroplanes。〃　　In　his　words；　〃Dirigibles

are　seemingly　useless　in　defence　against　the　aeroplane　or

gun…fire。〃



In　order　to　be　able　to　make　an　invasion　in　force　upon　Great

Britain's　cities　extremely　favourable　weather　must　prevail；　and

the　treacherous　nature　of　the　weather　conditions　of　the　North　Sea

are　known　fully　well　both　to　British　and　Teuton　navigators。　

Seeing　that　the　majority　of　the　Zeppelin　pilots　are　drawn　from

the　Navy　and　mercantile　marine；　and　thus　are　conversant　with　the

peculiarities　and　characteristics　of　this　stretch　of　salt　water；

it　is　only　logical　to　suppose　that　their　knowledge　will　exert　a

powerful　influence　in　any　such　decision；　the　recommendations

of　the　meteorological　savants　not　withstanding。



When　the　Zeppelin　pride　of　the　German　Navy　〃L…1〃　was　hurled　to

destruction　by　a　typical　North　Sea　squall；　Captain　Blew　of　the

Victoria　Luise；　a　Zeppelin　with　many　great　achievements　to　her

credit；　whose　navigator　was　formerly　in　the　Navy；　and　thus　is

familiar　with　the　whole　issue；　explained　that　this　atmospheric

liveliness　of　the　North　Sea　prevails　for　the　most　part　in　the

latitude　of　Norway；　but　that　it　frequently　extends　as　far　south

as　the　gate　of　the　Channel。　　He　related　furthermore　that　the　rain

squalls　are　of　tropical　violence；　while　the　vertical　thrusts　of

air　are　such　that　no　dirigible　as　yet　constructed　could　ever　hope

to　live　in　them。　　Under　such　conditions；　he　continued；　the　gas　is

certain　to　cool　intensely；　and　the　hull　must　then　become

waterlogged；　not　to　mention　the　downward　thrust　of　the　rain。　

Under　such　conditions　buoyancy　must　be　imperilled　to　such　a

degree　as　to　demand　the　jettisoning　of　every　piece　of　ballast；

fuel　and　other　removable　weight；　including　even　the　steadying　and

vertical　planes。　　When　this　has　been　done；　he　pointed　out；

nothing　is　left　with　which　to　combat　the　upward　vertical　thrusts

of　the　air。　　To　attempt　to　run　before　the　wind　is　to　court

positive　disaster；　as　the　wind　is　certain　to　gain　the　mastery。　

Once　the　airship　loses　steering　way　and　is　rendered

uncontrollableit　becomes　the　sport　of　the　forces　of　Nature；　with

the　result　that　destruction　is　merely　a　matter　of　minutes；　or

even　seconds。



Every　navigator　who　knows　the　North　Sea　will　support　these

conclusions。　　Squalls　and　blizzards　in　winter；　and　thunderstorms

in　summer；　rise　with　startling　suddenness　and　rage　with　terrific

destructive　fury。　　Such　conditions　must　react　against　the　attempt

of　an　aerial　invasion　in　force；　unless　it　be　made　in　the

character　of　the　last　throw　by　a　desperate　gambler；　with　good

fortune　favouring　the　dash　to　a　certain　degree。　　But　lesser　and

more　insignificant　Zeppelin　raids　are　likely　to　be　somewhat

frequent；　and　to　be　made　at　every　favourable　climatic

opportunity。







CHAPTER　VII

AEROPLANES　OF　WAR



Owing　to　the　fertility　of　inventors　and　the　resultant

multiplicity　of　designs　it　is　impossible　to　describe　every　type

of　heavier…than…air　machine　which　has　been　submitted　to　the

exacting　requirements　of　military　duty。　　The　variety　is　infinite

and　the　salient　fact　has　already　been　established　that　many

of　the　models　which　have　proved　reliable　and　efficient　under

normal　conditions　are　unsuited　to　military　operations。　　The　early

days　of　the　war　enabled　those　of　doubtful　value　to　be　eliminated；

the　result　being　that　those　machines　which　are　now　in　use

represent　the　survival　of　the　fittest。　　Experience　has

furthermore　emphasised　the　necessity　of　reducing　the　number　of

types　to　the　absolute　minimum。　　This　weeding…out　process　is　being

continued　and　there　is　no　doubt　that　by　the　time　the　war　is

concluded　the　number　of　approved　types　of　aeroplanes　of　military

value　will　have　been　reduced　to　a　score　or　less。　　The

inconveniences　and　disadvantages　arising　from　the　utilisation　of

a　wide　variety　of　different　types　are　manifold；　the　greatest

being　the　necessity　of　carrying　a　varied　assortment　of　spare

parts；　and　confusion　in　the　repair　and　overhauling　shops。



The　methodical　Teuton　was　the　first　to　grasp　the　significance　of

these　drawbacks；　he　has　accordingly　carried　standardisation　to　a

high　degree　of　efficiency；　as　is　shown　in　another　chapter。　　At　a

later　date　France　appreciated　the　wisdom　of　the　German　practice；

and　within　a　short　time　after　the　outbreak　of　hostilities

promptly　ruled　out　certain　types　of　machines　which　were　regarded

as　unsuitable。　　In　this　instance　the　process　of　elimination

created　considerable　surprise；　inasmuch　as　it　involved　an　embargo

on　the　use　of　certain　machines；　which　under　peace　conditions　had

achieved　an　international　reputation；　and　were　held　to　represent

the　finest　expression　of　aeronautical　science　in　France　as　far　as

aeroplane　developments　are　concerned。



Possibly　the　German　machine　which　is　most　familiar；　by　name；　to

the　general　public　is　the　Taube；　or；　as　it　is　sometimes　called；

the　Etrich　monoplane；　from　the　circumstance　that　it　was　evolved

by　the　Austrian　engineer　Igo　Etrich　in　collaboration　with　his

colleague　Wels。　　These　two　experimenters　embarked　on　the　study　of

dynamic　flight　contemporaneously　with　Maxim；　Langley；　Kress；　and

many　other　well…known　pioneers；　but　it　was　not　until　1908　that

their　first　practical　machine　was　completed。　　Its　success　was

instantaneous；　many　notable　flights　being　placed　to　its　credit；

while　some　idea　of　the　perfection　of　its　design　may　be　gathered

from　the　fact　that　the　machine　of　to…day　is　substantially

identical　with　that　used　seven　years　ago；　the　alterations　which

have　been　effected　meanwhile　being　merely　modifications　in　minor

details。



The　design　of　this　machine　follows　very　closely　the　lines　of　a

bird　in　flighthence　its　colloquial　description；　〃Taube；〃　or

〃dove。〃　　Indeed　the　analogy　to　the　bird　is　so　close　that　the　ribs

of　the　frame　resemble　the　feathers　of　a　bird。　　The　supporting

plane　is　shaped　in　the　manner　of　a　bird's　distended　wing；　and　is

tipped　up　at　the　rear　ends　to　ensure　stability。　　The　tail　also

resembles　that　of　a　bird　very　closely。



This　aeroplane；　especially　the　latest　type；　is　very　speedy；　and

it　has　proved　extremely　reliable。　　It　is　very　sharp　in　turning

and　extremely　sensitive　to　its　rudder；　which　renders　it　a

first…class　craft　for　reconnoitring　duty。　　The　latest　machines

are　fitted　　with　motors　developing　from　120　to　150　horse…power。



The　〃Taube〃　commanded　attention　in　Germany　for　the　reason　that

it　indicated　the　first　departure　from　the　adherence　to　the　French

designs　which　up　to　that　time　had　been　followed　somewhat

slavishly；　owing　to　the　absence　of　native　initiative。



The　individuality　of　character　revealed　in　the　〃Taube〃　appealed

to　the　German　instinct；　with　the　result　that　the　machine　achieved

a　greater　reputation　than　might　have　been　the　case　had　it　been

pitted　against　other　types　of　essentially　Teutonic　origin。　　The

Taube　was　subsequently　tested　both　in　France　and　Great　Britain；

but　failed　to　raise　an　equal　degree　of　enthusiasm；　owing　to　the

manifestation　of　certain　defects　which　marred　its　utility。　　This

practical　experience　tended　to　prove　that　the　Taube；　like　the

Zeppelin；　possessed　a　local　reputation　somewhat　of　the　paper

type。　　The　Germans；　however；　were　by　no　means　disappointed

by　such　adverse　criticism；　but　promptly　set　to　work　to　eliminate

defects　with　a　view　to　securing　an　all…round　improvement。



The　most　successful　of　these　endeavours　is　represented　in　the

Taube…Rumpler　aeroplane；　which　may　be　described　as　an　improved

edition　of　Etrich's　original　idea。　　As　a　matter　of　fact　the

modifications　were　of　so　slight；　though　important