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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0849.PDF
Flight, August 14, 1914. First Aero Weekly in the World. Founder and Editor : STANLEY SPOONER. A Journal devoted to the Interest*, Practice, and Progress of Aerial locomotion and Transport. OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLDB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. No. 294. (No. 33, Vol. VI.)] AUGUST 14, 1914. CRegistered at the G.P.O."] as a Newspaper. J fWeekly, Price 3d. L Pont Frne, 3$d. Editorial Office: 44, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON, W.C. Telegrams: Truditur, Westrand, London. Telephone: Gerrard 1828. Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free. United Kingdom ... jgx. ad. Abroad 20s. ad. CONTENTS. • Editorial Comment: PAGE Aircraft in the World-War 849 Royal Flying Corps : Artisans and Other Tradesmen Wanted 850 The " Round Britain " Machines 851 Law Relating to Aircraft in War 4 Aircraft in Action 857 From the British Flying Grounds 861 Aeroplane Types : The Otto Military Biplane 862 The Ponnier Scouting Biplane (with scale drawings) 863 Eddies. By " .Eolus" 866 Models. Edited by V. E. Johnson, M.A 868 Correspondence 870 EDITORIAL COMMENT. The whole of the vast area covered by the Aircraft warlike operations of the Great Powers is World-War. enveloped in the fog of war, and until that fog is dissipated by the wind of a decisive battle we are not likely to hear anything that will serve to enlighten us on the details of how decisive results are being aimed at. That is most absolutely correct under the circumstances. It may be hard for those of us who are left at home to carry on the nation's business to sit down day by day, knowing that things are happening beyond the sky-line—things that are shattering the civilisation of the world to fragments, things that will undoubtedly change the map of Europe and will relegate Powers that are now properly described by the adjective " Great" to a position of comparative obscurity out of which they cannot possibly emerge for many decades, if ever. The issues are enormous, and we who will ultimately be affected by them can do nothing but sit passively and await the news of how prospers our cause. We would have news of those who are fighting and dying for us ; we are anxious as citizens to know whether the grim work of war goes with or against us, but we are not told, and we may not be told until the issues are decided one way or the other. It is, we repeat, hard, very hard, but we realise that it must be, and therefore do not complain, but are content to sink the impatience of the individual in the calm judgment and firm anticipation of the loyal citizen. All the circumstances being as they are, it would be quite futile to write of the part being played and to be achieved by aircraft. Not a scrap of dependable news has come through regarding the doings of the respective air fleets of the belligerents. It seems fairly certain that the first attempt of the Germans to use the much-vaunted Zeppelins resulted in a ghastly failure, inasmuch as one of these craft which took part in the battles around Liege is said to have been brought down by gun-fire before it had had time to do any material damage to speak of. These reports must, of course, be accepted with all reserve until the fog has lifted, and the exigencies of war allow of some fuller news than we are likely to get at present being disseminated. Moreover, it does not at all follow that even if the first attempt failed, these huge craft are useless, though we do believe that in the face of an enterprising enemy, well provided with aeroplanes, and the devoted men to fly them, their usefulness will be far more circumscribed than the German Staff appears to have thought. But in this war, which was begun and continues its progress in an atmosphere of miscalculation and false presumptions, we shall not add our own minor errors to the sum by laying down any dogmatic opinions as to this. Then, with regard to the employment of aeroplanes, we know absolutely nothing, save that they have been reported as flying over certain places within the theatre of operations. Of whether they have actually achieved any results of value we remain utterly ignorant. Shortly after the outbreak of the war, we were regaled with a story of how Garros had sacrificed himself for France by fling ing himself and his machine straight at a German enemy and himself in an in- We doubt not that Garros and aviators would act thus were it we are confident that our own flying officers would act precisely in the same way, but so far as this moving story is concerned it has one quite sufficient demerit—it is not true. Again, we read that " it is believed " the French aviators are continually flying over the advancing Germans, making known to their own commanders the numbers, line of march and apparent intentions of the enemy. But we do not hear a word of what counter-movements are being made by the splendid personnel of the German air service, though we cannot believe that they are remaining quiescent, skulking in their hangars, as their Navy is doing behind the shelter of airship, involving the evitable common ruin, all his fellow French necessary, as equally
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