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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0048.PDF
1/ijGHTj Things aviatic seem to be on the move across the pond as indicated by a lively activity among the various aeroplane constructors. Probably some of the far- sighted ones are anticipating that the U.S. Government will, after seeing the work accomplished by aeroplanes in the present war, organise Flying Corps on a generous scale for both the Army and Navy. At any rate, new types of machines are being tested almost daily, and some of the older firms, finding themselves cramped in their original quarters, are seeking fresh fields and pastures new. Among other changes it transpires that Glenn H. Curtiss is removing his works from Hammondsport, N.Y., at the southern end of the beautiful Lake Keuka, where the Curtiss machines have hitherto been built, to Buffalo on the eastern shores of Lake Erie. The new works form a portion of the large premises formerly occupied by the Thomas Motor Car Company, and con struction can here be carried out on a scale more in keeping with the demand for the various types of Curtiss land and sea going machines. Besides, Lake Erie affords much better facilities for testing than did Lake Keuka, and as the distance away is only comparatively short, we shall probably hear of some of the Curtiss pilots flying over Niagara Falls before long. ® ® JANUARY 15, 1915. Talking of American aviation developments reminds me that I was told the other day that the ban on flying over cities has been raised by the Aero Club of America, and that aviators holding the "expert" certificate may now fly over cities if they wish. In order to qualify for the " expert" certificate, the aviator has to pass a physical examination by a physician designated by the Aero Club of America, and, in addition, the following tests of his ability as a pilot : A cross-country flight of 50 miles length, out and back, without alighting ; a glide with the engine shut off from a height of 2,500 ft, coming to rest within 50 metres of a designated point without the use of brakes ; a figure of eight around two marks 500 metres apart. In making the turns, the aviator must keep all parts of his machine within semicircles of 50 metres radius from each turning point as a centre. No mention has been made, as far as I could learn, of the minimum height at which the pilot should fly when over towns, so probably the Aero Club of America trust that the pilot, if not for the sake of the safety of the public, at least for his own sake, will fly at a sufficient height to enable him to reach open country should his engine fail him. " ^OLUS." ® ® AIRCRAFT AND THE, WAR. A CORRESPONDENT of the Observer, writing from Warsaw under date of December 27 th, said :— "To the eastward-going stream must now be added the enemy's aeroplanes, who, after a lull of a fortnight, during which we had only Zeppelins, have again come in numbers. The last German aeroplanes have dropped no bombs, but have circled over the city and sometimes flown off to the east at great heights. Their movements indicated that they hive been watching the railway station here and at I'raga, and counting troop trains. I watched an aeroplane which swooped down from a great height in the west. It dropped lower over Praga ; was shot at by guns stationed I do not know where (shells could be seen exploding below it), and then, followed by two Russian monoplanes, sped at a terrific speed along the Vistula in the direction of Novogeorgievsk. "Some of the reconnoitring 'planes fly far in the interior. Last week one fell at Bjela, which is 200 versts west of this city. Two very young men, a lieutenant and a soldier mechanic were on board. When the military guard came to remove them from the estate on which they had been captured, they found the lieutenant at a piano playing Mendelssohn—much as did the French prisoner of 1812 in Turgenieffs story. " At Lodz, Lowitsch, Skiernewice (still in our hands) and here, about 200 persons, mostly civilians, have been killed by air bombs since the beginning of the new German advance. Lodz has suffered most. A member of the party of M. Gutckhoff (Inspector of the Red Cross, formerly Duma President) told me that in the Piotrkow-street, fourteen persons gathered in a crowd were killed by a single bomb. As I have personally convinced myself, townspeople and villagers show incredible incapacity to judge what is dangerous from what is not, and to take precautions. Whenever a bomb-bearing Zeppelin appears the Poles collect in crowds. When the enemy rushed Prushkow in October, trippers went to ' see ' them. A shell which killed half-a-dozen ended the trip." A correspondent in an account of the French advance on Orbey in Alsace on January 3rd, said:— " Snow had begun to fall. None the less, one of our aeropl anes managed to reconnoitre the enemy's position, and brought back the news that there was a movement of troops on the south of Sainte- Marie, and that some of the Prussian advance posts were retiring towards Saint-Croix." Mr. Perceval Gibbon, a Daily Chronicle correspondent, writing from Zyrardow in Poland on January 3rd, said :— "The commander of the trench considered the German aeroplane service beyond praise. Despite my incredulity, he repeatedly affirmed that German aeroplanes are able to halt or hover in the air above one spot, slowly sinking the while, and then rising again and flying on. This manoeuvre serves admirably to guide the fire of their guns." In an Exchange message from Petrograd on the 6th inst., it was stated :— " Reliable reports say that Field-Marshal Hindenburg's advance plans have been badly hampered by the impossibility of moving his heavy artillery. Airmen scouts have seen a great block of heavy artillery, supposed to include a 42cm. mortar, at frontier railway stations, and outside the stations they have seen guns which have come to a standstill in the mud." A Daily Mail correspondent in the North of France reported on the 8th inst. :— " The enemy's aeroplanes have been very active during the last few days. The day before yesterday Abbeville was twice visited and several bombs were dropped, one falling in the cemetery, doing no damage. There was no loss of life. Three bombs were dropped on Hazebrouck. Armentiere has also been visited, and received several bombs. Nobody was hurt at either place." Writing from Copenhagen on Saturday, a Daily Tele graph correspondent said:— "A German aeroplane, with two passengers, was observed at Esbjerg and its environs, flying only about forty metres above the ground. The passengers were waving their hands to the inhabitants. The aeroplane disappeared after an hour. " On account of this visit the Ribe Stiftstidtnde, an old provincial paper of high standard, prints an article, saying, ' We hope the German military authorities will instruct their aviators not to fly over neutral territory, as the aeroplanes of belligerent Powers should have nothing to do in neutral countries, and we trust our Government will call the German Government's attention to the matter, pointing out that similar flying excursions will not take place in future without risk to the passengers and their machines. In neutral Switzerland they shoot at them without ceremony.' " According to the Sluis correspondent of the Tele- graaf, the petrol tank of one of the Allies' aeroplanes which appeared off the coast of Flanders on Saturday was hit, and the machine descended at Zeebrugge, the occupants, a French aviator and a Belgian officer, being taken prisoners. A Daily Chronicle correspondent, writing from the Franco-Belgian frontier on the 10th inst., said :— " Calais had a visit last night from a Zeppelin and three Aviatik aeroplanes, which, flying high over the town, were reported to be heading in the direction of Dover. Anti-aircraft guns, mounted on motor cars, were hastily rushed to an advantageous position for an attack, but the German machines, without doing any damage, continued their journey at top speed. The Zeppelin had come from the interior of Belgium, passing over Fumes and Dunkirk. 48
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