aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第14节

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modifications　were　of　so　slight；　though　important；　a　character

that　many　machines　generically　described　as　Taubes　are　in　reality

Rumplers；　but　the　difference　is　beyond　detection　by　the　ordinary

and　unpractised　observer。



In　the　Rumpler　machine　the　wings；　like　those　of　the　Taube；　assume

broadly　the　form　and　shape　of　those　of　the　pigeon　or　dove　in

flight。　　The　early　Rumpler　machines　suffered　from　sluggish

control；　but　in　the　later　types　this　defect　has　been　overcome。

In　the　early　models　the　wings　were　flexible；　but　in　the　present

craft　they　are　rigid；　although　fitted　with　tips　or　ailerons。　　The

supporting　truss　beneath　the　wings；　which　was　such　an　outstanding

feature　of　its　prototype；　has　been　dispensed　with；　the　usual

I…beam　longitudinals　being　used　in　its　stead。　　The　latest

machines　fitted　with　100…120　horse…power　Mercedes　motors　have　a

fine　turn　of　speed；　possess　an　enhanced　ascensional　effort；　and

are　far　simpler　to　control



Other　German　machines　which　are　used　in　the　military　service　are

the　Gotha　and　the　Albatross。　　The　former　is　a　monoplane；　and　here

again　the　influence　of　Etrich　upon　German　aeroplane　developments

is　strongly　manifested；　the　shape　of　the　bird's　wing　being

retained。　　In　the　Gotha　the　truss　which　Etrich　introduced　is　a

prominent　characteristic。　　The　Albatross　is　a　biplane；　but　this

craft　has　proved　to　be　somewhat　slow　and　may　be　said　to　be

confined　to　what　might　be　described　as　the　heavier　aerial

military　duties；　where　great　endurance　and　reliability　are

essential。　　As　the　war　proceeds；　doubtless　Teuton　ingenuity　will

be　responsible　for　the　appearance　of　new　types；　as　well　as

certain　modifications　in　the　detail　construction　of　the　existing

machines；　but　there　is　every　indication　that　the　broad　lines　of

Etrich's　conception　will　be　retained　in　all　monoplanes。



There　is　one　point　in　which　Germany　has　excelled。　　Wood　is　not

employed　in　the　construction　of　these　heavier…than…air　craft。　

Steel　and　the　lighter　tough　alloys　are　exclusively　used。　　In　this

way　the　minimum　of　weight　consistent　with　the　maximum　of　strength

policy　is　carried　out。　　Moreover　the　manufacture　of　component

parts　is　facilitated　and　accelerated　to　a　remarkable　degree　by

the　use　of　metal；　while　the　tasks　of　fitting　and　repairing　are

notably　expedited　by　the　practice　of　standardisation。　　Germany　is

also　manifesting　commendable　enterprise　in　the　perfection　of

light　powerful　motors　for　these　dynamic　machines。　　The　latest

types　of　explosion…motors　range　from　100　to　150　horse…power；　the

advantages　of　these　are　obvious。



Upon　the　outbreak　of　hostilities　the　French　possessed　an　enormous

number　and　variety　of　aeroplanes　and　this　aerial　fleet　had　been

brought　to　a　high　standard　of　organisation。　　The　aerial　fleet　is

sub…divided　into　squadrons　called　〃escadrilles；〃　each　of　which

comprises　six　machines　and　pilots。　　These　units　are　kept　up　to

strength；　wastage　being　made　up　from　reserves；　so　as　to　maintain

the　requisite　homogeneity。



But　ere　the　war　had　been　in　progress　many　weeks　an　official　order

was　issued　forbidding　the　employment　of　the　Bleriot；　Deperdussin；

Nieuport；　and　R。E。P。　monoplanes。　　Those　which　received　official

approval　included　the　Caudron；　Henry；　and　Maurice　Farman；

Morane…Saulnier；　and　Voisin　machines。



This　drastic　order　came　somewhat　as　a　thunderbolt；　and　the

reason　for　the　decree　has　not　been　satisfactorily　revealed。　　

Suffice　to　say　that　in　one　stroke　the　efficiency　and　numerical

strength　of　the　French　aerial　navy　were　reduced　very　appreciably。　

For　instance；　it　is　stated　that　there　were　thirty　escadrilles　of

Bleriot　monoplanes　together　with　pilots　at　the　front；　in　addition

to　thirty　mixed　escadrilles　of　the　other　prohibited　types　with

their　fliers。　　Moreover　a　round　33　escadrilles　of　all　the　various

types　were　in　reserve。　　The　effect　of　the　military　order　was　to

reduce　the　effective　strength　by　no　fewer　than　558　aeroplanes。



Seeing　that　the　French　aerial　force　was　placed　at　a　great

disadvantage　numerically　by　this　action；　there　seems　to　be　ample

justification　for　the　hostile　criticism　which　the　decree　of

prohibition　aroused　in　certain　circles；　especially　when　it　is

remembered　that　there　was　not　an　equal　number　of　the　accepted

machines　available　to　take　the　place　of　those　which　had　been

ruled　out　of　court。　　One　effect　of　this　decree　was　to　throw　some

400　expert　aviators　upon　the　waiting　list　for　the　simple　reason

that　machines　were　unavailable。　　Some　of　the　best　aviation　skill

and　knowledge　which　France　possesses　were　affected　by　the　order。　

It　is　stated　that　accomplished　aviators；　such　as　Vedrines；　were

unable　to　obtain　machines。



It　will　be　seen　that　the　ultimate　effect　of　the　French　military

decree　was　to　reduce　the　number　of　types　to　about　four；　each　of

which　was　allotted　a　specific　duty。　　But　whereas　three　different

bi…planes　are　on　the　approved　list　there　is　only　one　monoplane

the　Morane…Saulaier。　　This　machine；　however；　has　a　great　turn　of

speed；　and　it　is　also　able　to　climb　at　a　very　fast　pace。　　In

these　respects　it　is　superior　to　the　crack　craft　of　Germany；　so

that　time　after　time　the　latter　have　refused　battle　in　the　skies；

and　have　hurried　back　to　their　lines。



The　Morane…Saulnier　is　the　French　mosquito　craft　of　the　air　and

like　the　insect；　it　is　avowedly　aggressive。　　In　fact；　its　duties

are　confined　to　the　work　of　chasing　and　bringing　down　the　enemy；

for　which　work　its　high　manoeuvring　capacity　is　excellently

adapted。　　Its　aggressive　armament　comprises　a　mitrailleuse。　

Unfortunately；　however；　the　factory　responsible　for　the

production　of　this　machine　is　at　present　handicapped　by　the

limitations　of　its　manufacturing　plant；　which　when　pushed　to　the

utmost　extent　cannot　turn　out　more　than　about　ten　machines　per

week。　　No　doubt　this　deficiency　will　be　remedied　as　the　war

proceeds　by　extension　of　the　works　or　by　allotting　orders　to

other　establishments；　but　at　the　time　of　the　decree　the

manufacturing　capacity　was　scarcely　sufficient　to　make　good　the

wastage；　which　was　somewhat　heavy。



As　far　as　biplanes　are　concerned　the　Caudron　is　the　fastest　in

flight　and　is　likewise　extremely　quick　in　manoeuvring。　　It　is　a

very　small　machine　and　is　extremely　light；　but　the　fact　that　it

can　climb　at　the　rate　of　over　330　feet　per　minute　is　a　distinct

advantage　in　its　favour。　　It　supplements　the　Morane…Saulnier

monoplane　in　the　specific　duty　of　the　latter；　while　it　is　also

employed　for　discovering　the　enemy's　artillery　and　communicating

the　range　of　the　latter　to　the　French　and　British　artillery。　　In

this　latter　work　it　has　played　a　very　prominent　part　and　to

it　is　due　in　no　small　measure　that　deadly　accuracy　of　the

artillery　of　the　Allies　which　has　now　become　so　famous。　　This

applies　especially　to　those　tactics；　where　the　field　artillery

dashes　up　to　a　position；　discharges　a　number　of　rounds　in　rapid

succession；　or　indulges　in　rafale　firing；　and　then　limbering　up；

rushes　away　before　the　enemy　can　reply。



As　is　well　known　the　Farman　biplanes　possess　high　endurance

qualities。　　They　can　remain　aloft　for　many　hours　at　a　stretch　and

are　remarkably　reliable。　　Owing　to　these　qualities　they　are

utilised　for　prolonged　and　searching　reconnoitring　duties　such　as

strategical　reconnaissances　as　distinct　from　the　hurried　and

tactical　reconnaissances　carried　out　by　fleeter　machines。　　While

they　are　not　so　speedy　as　the　monoplanes　of　the　German　military

establishment；　endurance　in　this　instance　is　preferable　to　pace。　

A　thorough　survey　of　the　enemy's　position　over　the　whole　of　his

military　zone；　which　stretches　back　for　a　distance　of　30　miles　or

so　from　the　outer　line　of　trenches；　is　of　incalculable　value　to　a

commander　who　is　contemplating　any　decisive　movement　or　who　is

somewhat　in　doubt　as　to　the　precise　character　of　his　antagonist's

tactics。



The　French　aerial　fleet　has　been　particularly　active　in　its　work

of　raiding　hostile　positions　and　submitting　them　to　a　fusillade

of　bombs　from　the　clouds。　　The　machine　which　is　allotted　this

specific　task　is　the　Voisin　biplane。　　This　is　due　to　the　fact　　

that　this　machine　is　able　to　carry　a　great　weight。　　It　was

speedily　discovered　that　in　bomb…raids　it　is　essential　for

an　aeroplane　to　be　able　to　carry　a　somewhat　large　supply　of

missiles；　owing　to　the　high　percentage　of　misses　which　attends

these　operations。　　A　raid　by　a　machine　capable　of　carrying　only；

say；　half…a…dozen　projectiles；　is　virtually　a　waste　of　fuel；　and

the　endurance　limitations　of　the　fast　machines　reacts　against

their　profitable　use　in　this　work。　　On　the　other　hand；　the　fact

that　the　Voisin　machine　is　able　to　carry　a　large　supply　of　bombs

renders　it　an　ideal　craft　for　this　purpose；　hence　the　official

decision　to　confine　it　to　this　work。



So　far　as　the　British　efforts　in　aerial　work　are　concerned　there

is　no　such　display　of　rigid　selection　as　characterises　the

practice　of　the　French　and　German　mil