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Aviation History
1913
1913 - 1264.PDF
lAJGHT the hill the pilot brought the machine down ;to about I.ono ft. above land. " Armed Moors, who watched the movements 01 the aeroplanes with intense interest, were stationed on the highest peak of Mount Conico. The aviators made a wide sweep towards the Dar Harcha encampment, where the aeroplane sheds are situated, and as they did so the Moors on Mount Conico opened fire, directing a iieavy volley upon the machine and its occupant?. "The rattle of the discharge, which reached the ears of the avia tors, was quickly followed by the whistling of bullets in unpleasant proximiiy to them. More shots were fired, some of which pattered en the wings of the biplane, and unfortunately the daring aviators -did not escape unhurt. Lieut. Kios was struck by one bullet, and Capt. Barreiro by two, the wounds in both cases being of a serious character." Apart from its interest as being the first occurrence •of its kind, there are other matters which are of even more interest to the student of the aeroplane and its role in modern war. It has been said that aircraft form almost impossible targets either for artillery or riflemen, but it would look as though in this case the hostile Moors had either had a great deal of luck with their shooting, or that an aeroplane on the wing is not so hard to hit as we had imagined. There is this to be said, that according to the story as we have quoted it, ® ® NOVEMBER 29, 1913. the pilot, Lieut. Rios, seems to have acted with some temerity in bringing his machine to so low an altitude as he appears to have done. We do not know the height of the Mount Conico which is referred to in the report, but it is evidently an eminence of some consider able height, and it may fairly be assumed that the pilot brought his machine down to a level, or nearly so, with the hill-top. Probably, relying on the notoriously bad marksmanship of the Moors, he even brought his machine within point-blank range of them, in which case there is nothing in the way of a lesson to be learnt from the incident, save that temerity in war inevitably brings its punishment, whether it is indulged in on land, or water, or in the air. Risks, we know, have to be taken, but there is nothing worse than underestimating the enemy. If you know his limitations absolutely, you may take risks which in face of a foe who knows his business would be suicidal, but you must be very sure of them before you take the risks. What seems to have happened in this case is that the Spanish pilot and his observer did not accurately assess those limitations, and they suffered accordingly. ® ® G. LEE TE1 PILOT. THK subject of our portrait this week is another self- taught pilot. After meeting with some success as a rider of Singer racing motor cycles, he decided in September of last year to turn his attention to aviation. Securing a couple of Bleriot machines, which had seen a fair amount of service, he set to work, and by dint of a good deal of practice mastered the art of flying. He then purchased a 35 h.p. Caudron biplane, on which he qualified for his certificate in February last, and this was followed by the formation of a school at Hendon, through which several pupils passed successfully for their certificates. Several exhibition flights were given last summer by Temple on the Caudron at Manchester and Park Royal. A few months ago, having sold his interest in the school, Temple purchased a 50 h.p. two-seater Bleriot, and flew it, in very bad weather, from Issy to Hendon. With this machine he gave a series of very fine exhibition flights at Hull last month, the machine on one occasion being unable to make any headway against the high wind. Temple has also flown the machine at Acton a good deal, as well as making several cross country trips such as Hendon- Brooklands. He usually flies very high, and latterly has made some very fine vol planes, while his latest achieve ment, as recorded elsewhere, is to fly the Bleriot partially on its back. "THE HAWK." Capt. Longcroft, whose splendid record (light i% recorded this week, s arti g off from Montrose for his non-stop run to Poitsmouth and Farnborough on one of the B.E. biplanes, built by the Bristol Co. 1290
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