aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第26节

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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　whether　the　operation

would　be　successful　remains　to　be　proved。　　The　aeroplane　would　be

faced　with　such　a　concentrated　hostile　fire　as　to　menace　its　own

existenceits　forward　rush　would　be　frustrated　by　the　dirigible

just　as　a　naval　vessel　parries　the　ramming　tactics　of　an　enemy　by

sinking　the　latter　before　she　reaches　her　target；　while　if　it　did

crash　into　the　hull　of　the　dirigible；　tearing　it　to　shreds；

firing　its　gas；　or　destroying　its　equilibrium；　both　protagonists

would　perish　in　the　fatal　dive　to　earth。　　For　this　reason　ramming

in　mid…air　is　not　likely　to　be　essayed　except　when　the　situation

is　desperate。



What　happens　when　two　aeroplanes　meet　in　dire　combat　in　mid…air

and　one　is　vanquished？　　Does　the　unfortunate　vessel　drop　to　earth

like　a　stone；　or　does　it　descend　steadily　and　reach　the　ground

uninjured？　　So　far　as　actual　experience　has　proved；　either　one　of

the　foregoing　contingencies　may　happen。　　In　one　such　duel　the

German　aeroplane　was　observed　to　start　suddenly　upon　a　vol…plane

to　the　ground。　　Its　descending　flight　carried　it　beyond　the　lines

of　the　Allies　into　the　territory　of　its　friends。　　Both　came　to

the　conclusion　that　the　aviator　had　effected　his　escape。　　But

subsequent　investigation　revealed　the　fact　that　a　lucky　bullet

from　the　Allies'　aeroplane　had　lodged　in　the　brain　of　the　German

pilot；　killing　him　instantly。　　At　the　moment　when　Death　over　took

him　the　aviator　had　set　his　plane　for　the　descent　to　the　ground；

and　the　machine　came　to　earth　in　the　manner　of　a　glider。



But　in　other　instances　the　descent　has　been　far　more　tragic。　　The

aeroplane；　deprived　of　its　motive　power；　has　taken　the　deadly

headlong　dive　to　earth。　　It　has　struck　the　ground　with　terrific

violence；　burying　its　nose　in　the　soil；　showing　incidentally　that

a　flying　machine　is　an　indifferent　plough；　and　has　shattered

itself；　the　debris　soaked　with　the　escaping　fuel　becoming

ignited。　　In　any　event；　after