aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第15节

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is　no　such　display　of　rigid　selection　as　characterises　the

practice　of　the　French　and　German　military　authorities。　

Britain's　position　in　the　air　has　been　extensively　due　to　private

enterprise；　and　this　is　still　being　encouraged。　　Moreover　at　the

beginning　of　the　war　Britain　was　numerically　far　inferior　both　to

her　antagonist　and　to　her　ally。　　Consequently　it　was　a　wise　move

to　encourage　the　private　manufacture　of　machines　which　had

already　established　their　value。　　The　consequence　is　that　a

variety　of　machines　figure　in　the　British　aerial　navy。　　Private

initiative　is　excellently　seconded　by　the　Government

manufacturing　aeroplane　factory；　while　the　training　of　pilots

is　likewise　being　carried　out　upon　a　comprehensive　scale。

British　manufacture　may　be　divided　into　two　broad　classesthe

production　of　aeroplanes　and　of　waterplanes　respectively。

Although　there　is　a　diversity　of　types　there　is　a　conspicuous

homogeneity　for　the　most　part；　as　was　evidenced　by　the　British

raid　carried　out　on　February　11…12；　when　a　fleet　of　34　machines

raided　the　various　German　military　centres　established　along　the

coast　of　Flanders。



Considerable　secrecy　has　been　displayed　by　the　British　Government

concerning　the　types　of　machines　that　are　being　utilised；

although　ample　evidence　exists　from　the　producing　activity　of　the

various　establishments　that　all　available　types　which　have

demonstrated　their　reliability　and　efficiency　are　being　turned　to

useful　purpose。　　The　Avro　and　Sopwith　warplanes　with　their　very

high　speeds　have　proved　remarkably　successful。



So　far　as　manufacturing　is　concerned　the　Royal　Aerial　Factory　may

be　said　to　constitute　the　back　bone　of　the　British　aerial　fleet。　

This　factory　fulfils　various　purposes。　　It　is　not　only　engaged　in

the　manufacture　of　machines；　and　the　development　of　aeroplanes

for　specific　duties；　but　also　carries　out　the　inspection　and

testing　of　machines　built　by　private　firms。　　Every　machine　is

submitted　to　an　exacting　test　before　it　is　passed　into　the

service。



Three　broad　types　of　Government　machines　are　manufactured　at　this

establishment。　　There　is　that　designed　essentially　for　scouting

operations；　in　which　speed　is　the　all…important　factor　and　which

is　of　the　tractor　type。　　Another　is　the　〃Reconnoitring〃　machine

known　officially　as　the　〃R。E。〃　to…day；　but　formerly　as　the　〃B。E〃

（Bleriot…Experimental）；　a　considerable　number　of　which　are　in

commission。



This　machine　is　also　of　the　tractor　type；　carrying　a　pilot　and　an

observer；　and　has　a　maximum　speed　of　40…50　miles　per　hour。　　If

required　it　can　further　be　fitted　with　an　automatic　gun　for

defence　and　attack。　　The　third　craft　is　essentially　a　fighting

machine。　　Owing　to　the　introduction　of　the　machine…gun　which　is

fixed　in　the　prow；　with　the　marksman　immediately　behind　it；　the

screw　is　placed　at　the　rear。　　The　pilot　has　his　seat　behind　the

gunner。　　The　outstanding　feature　of　these　machines　is　the　high

factor　of　safety；　which　attribute　has　astonished　some　of　the

foremost　aviation　experts　in　the　world。



Great　Britain　lagged　behind　her　Continental　rivals　in　the

development　of　the　Fourth　Arm；　especially　in　matters　pertaining

to　motive　power。　　For　some　time　reliance　was　placed　upon　foreign

light　highspeed　explosion　motors；　but　private　enterprise　was

encouraged；　with　the　result　that　British　Motors　comparing

favourably　in　every　respect　with　the　best　productions　upon　the

Continent　are　now　available。　　Development　is　still　proceeding；

and　there　is　every　evidence　that　in　the　near　future　entire

reliance　will　be　placed　upon　the　native　motor。



Undoubtedly；　as　the　war　progresses；　many　valuable　lessons　will

be　learned　which　will　exercise　an　important　bearing　upon　the

design　and　construction　of　warplanes。　　The　ordeals　to　which　the

machines　are　submitted　in　military　duties　are　far　more　severe

than　any　imposed　by　the　conditions　of　commerce。　　Accordingly

there　is　every　indication　that　the　conflict　upon　the　Continent

will　represent　a　distinctive　epoch　in　aeroplane　design　and

construction。　　Many　problems　still　await　solution；　such　as　the

capacity　to　hover　over　a　position；　and　it　is　quite　possible

that　these　complex　and　baffling　questions　will　be　settled

definitely　as　the　result　of　operations　in　the　field。　　The

aeroplane　has　reached　a　certain　stage　of　evolution：　further

progress　is　virtually　impossible　unless　something　revolutionary

is　revealed；　perfected；　and　brought　to　the　practical　stage。







CHAPTER　VIII

SCOUTING　FROM　THE　SKIES



From　the　moment　when　human　flight　was　lifted　from　the　rut　of

experiment　to　the　field　of　practical　application；　many　theories；

interesting　and　illuminating；　concerning　the　utility　of　the

Fourth　Arm　as　a　military　unit　were　advanced。　　The　general

consensus　of　expert　opinion　was　that　the　flying　machine　would　be

useful　to　glean　information　concerning　the　movements　of　an　enemy；

rather　than　as　a　weapon　of　offence。



The　war　is　substantiating　this　argument　very　completely。　

Although　bomb…dropping　is　practised　somewhat　extensively；　the

results　achieved　are　rather　moral　than　material　in　their　effects。　

Here　and　there　startling　successes　have　been　recorded　especially

upon　the　British　side；　but　these　triumphs　are　outnumbered　by　the

failures　in　this　direction；　and　merely　serve　to　emphasise　the

views　of　the　theorists。



The　argument　was　also　advanced　that；　in　this　particular　work；　the

aeroplane　would　prove　more　valuable　than　the　dirigible；　but

actual　campaigning　has　proved　conclusively　that　the　dirigible　and

the　heavier…than…air　machines　have　their　respective　fields　of

utility　in　the　capacity　of　scouts。　　In　fact　in　the　very　earliest

days　of　the　war；　the　British　airships；　though　small　and　slow　in

movement；　proved　more　serviceable　for　this　duty　than　their

dynamic　consorts。　　This　result　was　probably　due　to　the　fact　that

military　strategy　and　tactics　were　somewhat　nonplussed　by　the

appearance　of　this　new　factor。　　At　the　time　it　was　an　entirely

unknown　quantity。　　It　is　true　that　aircraft　had　been　employed　in

the　Balkan　and　the　Italo…Ottoman　campaigns；　but　upon　such　a

limited　scale　as　to　afford　no　comprehensive　idea　of　their

military　value　and　possibilities。



The　belligerents；　therefore；　were　caught　somewhat　at　a

disadvantage；　and　an　appreciable　period　of　time　elapsed　before

the　significance　of　the　aerial　force　could　be　appreciated；　while

means　of　counter　acting　or　nullifying　its　influences　had　to　be

evolved　simultaneously；　and　according　to　the　exigencies　of　the

moment。　　At　all　events；　the　protagonists　were　somewhat　loth　to

utilise　the　dirigible　upon　an　　elaborate　scale　or　in　an

aggressive　manner。　　It　was　employed　more　after　the　fashion　of　a

captive　balloon；　being　sent　aloft　from　a　point　well　behind　the

front　lines　of　the　force　to　which　it　was　attached；　and　well　out

of　the　range　of　hostile　guns。　　Its　　manoeuvres　were　somewhat

circumscribed；　and　were　carried　out　at　a　safe　distance　from　the

enemy；　dependence　being　placed　upon　the　advantages　of　an

elevated　position　for　the　gathering　of　information。



But　as　the　campaign　progressed；　the　airships　became　more　daring。　

Their　ability　to　soar　to　a　great　height　offered　them　complete

protection　against　gun…fire；　and　accordingly　sallies　over　the

hostile　lines　were　carried　out。　　But　even　here　a　certain

hesitancy　became　manifest。　　This　was　perfectly　excusable；　for　the

simple　reason　that　the　dirigible；　above　all；　is　a　fair…weather

craft；　and　disasters；　which　had　overtaken　these　vessels　time

after　time；　rendered　prudence　imperative。　　Moreover；　but　little

was　known　of　the　range　and　destructiveness　of　anti…aircraft　guns。



In　the　duty　of　reconnoitring　the　dirigible　possesses　one　great

advantage　over　its　heavier…than…air　rival。　　It　can　remain

virtually　stationary　in　the　air；　the　propellers　revolving　at　just

sufficient　speed　to　off…set　the　wind　and　tendencies　to　drift。　　In

other　words；　it　has　the　power　of　hovering　over　a　position；

thereby　enabling　the　observers　to　complete　their　task　carefully

and　with　deliberation。



On　the　other　hand；　the　means　of　enabling　an　aeroplane　to　hover

still　remain　to　be　discovered。　　It　must　travel　at　a　certain　speed

through　the　air　to　maintain　its　dynamic　equilibrium；　and　this

speed　is　often　too　high　to　enable　the　airman　to　complete　his

reconnaissance　with　sufficient　accuracy　to　be　of　value　to　the

forces　below。　　All　that　the　aeroplane　can　do　is　to　circle　above　a

certain　position　until　the　observer　is　satisfied　with　the　data　he

has　collected。



But　hovering　on　the　part　of　the　dirigible　is　not　without

conspicuous　drawbacks。　　The　work　of　observation　cannot　be

conducted　with　any　degree　of　accuracy　at　an　excessive　altitude。　

Experience　has　proved　that　the　range　of　the　latest　types　of　anti…

aircraft　weapons　is　in　excess　of　anticipations。　　The　result　is

that　the　airship　is　useless　when　hovering　beyond　the　zone　of

fire。　　The　atmospheric　haze；　even　in　the　cleares