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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0741.PDF
OCTOBER I, 1915. IT appears that the German custom of erecting wooden idols into which nails may be hammered at so much a time, is spreading to the German aviation world. At a recent meeting with the German Minister of State, v. Bassewitz, in the chair, it was resolved to erect a wooden model of a Gotha Taube to commemorate the great importance to which Gotha has risen in the German aviation industry during late years. The Taube model has a span of 4^ metres, and is to be mounted on a granite pedestal, the sides of which ate to carry views of enemy towns that have been bombed by Tauben. The money accruing from the an'icipated industrious hammer ing of nails into the Taube is to be distributed by the National Fund for the ^'relief of dependants of flying officers killed or incapacitated on active service. The [/yGHTJ AT A FRENCH POSTE O'fbOtf 7"£.—Among the many devices employed by our French Allies in their great organisation of the defences of Paris are higb-acgle guns, searchlights, and instruments for gauging the height, -distance and speed of approaching aircraft. Needless to say, the numerous postes scattered over the districts lying between Paris and the various points ot the firing line are in telephonic communication with headquarters in Paris. In order to detect the approach of aircraft before this becomes visible to the naked eye or even audible, the instrument shown in the above phcograph is employed. This consists of four huge horns, which gather up almost the slightest sound, and magnify it bv means of a microphone, so that it is impossible for either enemy or other aviator to approach unheard. It is evident that such an instrument is especially suitable at night, when, as a rule, the engines of aircraft can be distinctly heard when the craft itself is quite out of sight.—Official photograph Issued by the French War Office. Duke has consented to have the monument erected in one of the parks surrounding the ducal palace, xxx I have long been expecting to see a reproduction in the German aeronautical papers of the official poster issued several months ago and prominently displayed throughout this country. In a recent issue of Flugsport the poster is reproduced with a comment to the effect that England's fear of German aircraft must be even greater than was generally supposed in Germany. It is pointed out that such a poster can hardly have contri buted towards a complacent frame of mind among the inhabitants. XXX The following appreciation by a German correspondent to Flugsport of the air services of our Russian Allies is of interest, coming as it does from the camp of the enemy:— " We see a great deal more of the Russian pilots than is generally supposed. Daily the Russian bumble-bees hum their droning song over the most varied places of our eastern front. They peep as inquisitively down into our trenches in Galicia as they espy our artillery emplace ments in Poland and Courland. In order not to be outdone by their French brethren, they even drop bombs on peaceful towns (!) and incendiary bombs on magazines situated far into enemy territory. East Prussia also knows something of the unpleasant frame of mind of the upper Rhine on certain days. Pin-pricks, it is true, but pricks all the same. The border town of Willenberg saw and sees more of the Russian 'eggs' fall from the sky than is compatible with comfort. Soldau, Ortelsburg and Insterburg have had a taste ot them too." "The Russian machines? Well, what I saw there seemed good material. That is to say, Russia, the land of imported culture, possesses of course little in the way of home-built machines. The pride of the Tsar are the Sikorskys. The giant machines that I have seen during the war were considerably more elegant and of a better shape than the old type. Some unwieldiness and a certain amount of sluggishness in manoeuvring still clings to the flying elephants of 1915, but on the other hand they carry more men and bombs. Nine to twelve shells were released with lightning rapidity in one throw. The speed was astonishing. So was the speed of the machine. What puzzled me most was the motors. At any rate, the sound was not that of the old Argus kettle. It sounded more like some air-cooled motor. I am not prepared to swear that it was a Gnome, however." XXX " The Sikorsky was the only original Russian machine that I saw. Farmans and Voisins proved useful and neat as French presents. Regarding various American biplanes said to have been brought down by the Germans I could not, unfortunately, learn any particulars. The peculiar wings of the Wright were not at any rate seen in the air." XXX " In Courland the German officers have an almost infallible distinction of aeroplanes to guide them. If it is a biplane one must wait for bombs or fire balls. If, however, a monoplane shoves up above the horizon the chances are a hundred to one that it is a Russian. In 74 •
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