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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0213.PDF
MARCH 26, 1915. FIRING with a machine gun between the blades of a pro peller revolving at something like 1,200 r.p.m. strikes one as being a tricky, not to say risky, pastime, but I have it on good authority that it is the latest exploit of R. Garros the famous French pilot. As to how it is accomplished, at the present time wild horses shall not drag it from me, but the method is extremely neat and simple, and the result is said to have been the bringing down of two Taubes. According to a patent specification in a German (/yoHf paper, an inventive genius over there has patented a device for enabling a machine gun to be fired through the disc area of the propeller by gearing up the trigger of the quick-firer to the engine in such a manner that when a propeller blade is in line with the gun a lock prevents the shot from being fired until the blade has passed out of the line of fire. It is very simple in theory, but diffi culties are, I think, more than likely to arise in practice, and I must confess that I do not envy the gunner his task. xxx Mention of Garros reminds me of one of his com patriots, Pegoud, who has also been distinguishing him self by bringing down German machines, and has recently been awarded the coveted Military Medal. In the official note announcing the award, it is pointed out that Pegoud has repeatedly pursued hostile aeroplanes; on February 5th last he attacked a German monoplane and succeeded in bringing it down, whilst shortly afterwards he tackled two biplanes, of which the first one was sent tumbling down to terra firma, whilst the second was forced to make a hurried landing. XXX News and the accompanying snapshot of two other pilots who, although Frenchmen, we have almost come to regard as more or less belonging to this country, comes to hand from a friend at the front. Caporal P. Verrier is now nearly well again, but is still walking a bit stiffly with the aid of a stick, although he is in huge spirits. He certainly can't be accused of looking down hearted, but then one can't imagine Verrier looking serious for any length of time. In our photograph he is seen wearing a miniature of his Medaille Militaire, awarded by the French Minister of War for special ser vices. The other Hendon favourite may not, at first glance, be recognised, owing to the bushy moustache he has cultivated since leaving our shores, as Sergeant Louis Noel, who has qualified for the new Croix de la Guerre, by having been mentioned three times in the Army Orders. He also is in the best of spirits, and working with aH the old energy of his Hendon days. xxx Capt. Oswald Watt, who is, it will be remembered, serving with the French air service, has figured in the IBS. French Journal Officiel^ having been decorated with the cross of a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour. His many friends over here and in Australia will be interested to know that the French officially describe him as a pilote trh hardi d'un sang-froid a toute epremt et plein d" entrain, sentiments with which we can most heartily agree. It is also mentioned that during a reconnaissance flight on October 24th, Capt. Watt's motor stopped over the German lines, and unable to regain the French lines, he succeeded in making a safe landing between the French and German lines, although the violent fire to which he was exposed put his machine hors de service. Both Capt. Watt and his observer escaped, and the machine was brought back to the French lines under cover of night. A few days later Capt. Watt was sent for a reconnaissance flight on a new machine, and was violently fired on by the German anti aircraft guns. In spite of having his machine hit in several places—one bullet passing right through the left rear spar—Capt. Watt carried out his reconnaissance flight with the greatest sang-froid, and did not land until he had com pleted his task. XXX Although accounts of duels in the air are frequent enough in the daily press, these reports are generally more or less coloured, and frequently sound highly im probable. I was therefore very interested the other day in hearing from a pilot who was home on leave a descrip tion of a fight between an English and a German machine. My informant was stationed at—well, never mind, " somewhere in France "—when one day a German AT FARMAN'S BUC AERODROME.-A couple of Hendon's favourites who are on active service with our Allies—Corporal Verrier and Sergeant Louis Noel. 213
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