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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 0274.PDF
QHGHT) army headquarters, motor cars are used for observers personally to report to Headquarters for instructions before starting, or on return to supplement written reports by verbal information. The question of signals from aircraft is a complex one. Lights, puffs, discs, Klaxon horns, &c, have been tried, but the results have, so far, not been entirely satisfactory. The employment of an aeroplane for the transmission of intelli gence from army headquarters to the Cavalry Division has been found to answer well. Wireless Telegraphy.—The French are reported to have sent messages a distance of 50-60 miles by wireless. The difficulty of receiving owing to noise both in airships and aeroplanes has yet to be overcome, and the interference between stations also restricts its use. If used the necessity for a cipher is obvious, and only a few important messages should be sent. Accessories.—Many people are astonished at the apparently extraordinary number of accessories required to keep a number of aircraft in the field—transport, spare parts, tools, sheds, mooring In connection with our suggestion In the leader this week to the effect that the present time is an excellent opportunity for municipalities In the Eastern Counties to offer airship sites for use by the Naval wing of the Royal Flying Corps, we give diagrammatically above some idea of the sort of site that might be useful. In the centre of the diagram is a small black rectangle representing the airship shed, and around it Is the manoeuvring ground which ought to measure about 4,000 feet ia its greatest dimension and about 2,500 feet across. A very important point in connection with the locality of an airship shed, however, is that there should be sufficient air space all round the field, and the outer rectangle in the diagram illustrates an area of about 800 acres over which there should be no tall buildings, chimneys, or other obstructions interfering with the naviga tion of the atmosphere. It is important, of course, that such freedom should be maintained for all time—a case of "ancient lights" with a modern meaning—and this where the esprit de corps of local authorities could be extremely useful. is so 280 MARCH 8, 1913. masts and other absolutely innumerable impedimenta. On manoeuvres last year some 8 motor cars, 12 light tenders, 10 heavy tenders, and 8 Foden steam lorries were fully employed to keep 2 airships and id aeroplanes going. May I here interject a hope that constructors will recognise our difficulties in this respect, and give all the help they can towards some degree of standardization ? Casualties,—During prolonged operations it will be a matter of great difficulty to maintain more than 50 per cent, of machines in working order, and even this will necessitate a great quantity of immediately available spare parts, and a high degree of training in all concerned. It would, I think, seem probable that no aero planes or engines, and few pilots and observers will last more than three or four months on active service. Efficient and sufficient repair lorries are essential, though present experience points to the fact that first-aid repairs can only be of the character of replacing damaged parts. More serious damage must be repaired at the Flying Depot at the advanced base. A considerable source of wastage will probably lie in the fact that engine failure will have an inconvenient habit of occurring when a machine is securing its very best information over hostile country. Even the Royal Aircraft Factory cannot help us under these circumstances. The best remedy lies with engine manufacturers, and it is in this direction we hope for the next great step. Sheds.—Sheds, if used, require a great deal of transport and personnel. Actually, many aeroplanes can remain out at night for short periods, if some sort of cover is provided. Sheds will probably only be kept for overhaul purposes. If, however, a shed could be designed which is sufficiently light to permit of one per aeroplane to be carried without prohibitive transport, the efficiency of the machines and their detachments would undoubtedly be much in creased. The method is practicable to use the present sheds, but only to move the field base every three or four days. The disad vantages of this procedure are—that the field base will probably not always be with army headquarters as it should be ; there may be a tendency to loss of touch, and to the waste of valuable time morning and evening. The weight of airship sheds, of course, renders them quite prohibitive ; mooring masts and a prayer for good weather have to be put up. Transport.—Even if sheds are not carried, transport (with its own complement of spares) is essential also, to permit of the field bases being moved to points convenient to the landing places of the aeroplanes, as, otherwise, valuable time will be wasted in the aero planes having to go some distance to the rear for overhaul, supplies of petrol and oil, food for the men, &c. Personnel.—The technical personnel at the field bases requires a high degree of training (in addition to a large proportion of physical and mental steel), and must be in sufficient numbers to provide reliefs. The bases have frequently to be moved by day and the overhaul of aircraft to be carried out by night. Now, please let me say a few words with reference to the types of aircraft which I consider are required immediately, then, well I am going to dream for a moment ! To sum up the conclusions to which the many considerations I have tried to place before you this evening lead me, I think we want: First, for strategical work, a single-seater scout aeroplane with a speed of 90 miles an hour, a landing speed of half that figure, a very high rate of climbing, and a petrol capacity of say 300 miles. Good view is also essential. Second, a two-seater with speeds of 80 and 40 and 200 miles tankage ; carry a light weapon, be a good climber, and be capable of landing on bad ground. Good view. Third, a two-seater fighting machine with speeds of 70 and 40, to carry a gun, ammunition, light armour, and petrol for 200 miles. Again of good climbing powers. Fourth, a semi-rigid airship of about 250,000 cubic ft. capacity, a speed of 55 miles an hour, keep the air for at least six hours. To carry a crew of eight, a light gun, wireless, searchlights. We still in England are rather apt not to recognise the capabili ties of airships. They have not yet attained to really great speed, but their range of action is very large, observation is easy from them, they can hover silently, carry light armament, drop bombs or explosives, they can fly in quite strong winds and rise at a rapid rate. The answer to such vessels other than meeting like with like is at present difficult to see. They are a very formidable weapon. It is an unwise satisfaction to shirk such realities. The types I have mentioned are those wanted now. I dream, m the not far distant future, of scouting aeroplanes of 120 miles an hour; fighters to carry pilot and assistant, gunner and observer at a speed of too miles ; weight-carriers to transport troops, rations and equipment ten or twelve at a time a distance of 30 miles and make five trips a day. Four hundred of these and some twenty to twenty- four thousand men are landed a double march ahead, with no weariness of the flesh, but rather physically and mentally braced up by a pleasant journey. The navies of the world—I am sorry
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