FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0269.PDF
MARCH 30, 1916. (/yGHT] AT last it appears that things are beginning to move. After a few exploits that augured well for its future during the early part of the war, the activities of the R.N.A.S. have for quite a long time disappeared from the public view, records of its doings being chiefly confined to reports of machines chasing hostile seaplanes, which, however, managed to escape. The bringing down, by Flight-Commander Bone, of one of these visitors the other day, was indication that efforts were being made to justify the existence of the Naval Wing as a separate unit, and now comes the report of the raid on the Zeppelin base at Tondern, which gives promise of the recommencement of a branch of air work full of possibilities if energetically and consistently per severed in. I have no patience with those who shriek for reprisals in kind every time a German raider has succeeded in blowing up a few cottages and killing a few innocent civilians, as there are obviously other ways of retaliating. The recent raids on Zeebrugge and Tondern are one method. There are other places along the German coast and elsewhere, not outside the reach of our modern seaplanes. The difficul ties are great and numerous, admittedly, but the last raid has shown that they are not unsurmountable, although apparently on this occasion three machines were lost. I do not wish to seem callous, but looking at the matter from a military point of view, the loss of three seaplanes, especially, as appears to be the case, the occupants are spared, is not a prohibitive price to pay for the destruc tion, even if only partial, of one of the Zeppelin sheds at such a stronghold as Tondern has been turned into. If we succeeded this time, in spite of the fact that warning was apparently, according to the German reports, given of the approach of our machines, in spite of look-outs on the North Frisian Islands, in spite of up-to-date anti-air craft guns on the West Coast of Schleswig, and in spite of the Zeppelins that are said to be almost constantly patrolling that part of the North Sea, we should be able to repeat the performance there and elsewhere, whilst with summer weather coming along, the conditions for seaplane work on a more extensive scale should become more and more favourable. We all regret the loss of the services of the officers who manned the three machines lost, but if the work commenced in the earlier part of the war is to be carried on effectively sentiment must and will not stand in the way. The best way to stop the raids, as we have so often advocated, is to destroy the Zeppelins in their lair, and it is to be hoped that Tondern is only the beginning of a series of immediate attacks of a similar character. xxx The communication sent by Lord Northcliffe to the Evening News, and published on March 24th, although not containing much information not already known 10 readers of " FLIGHT," being necessarily of a somewhat vague character, brings up one or two points that may be of interest. It is, of course, well known that several types of machines are in demand, such as chasers, bomb droppers, and those used for artillery "spotting." Less known is probably the extensive use made of machines for purposes of obtaining photographs in the various theatres of war. As a matter of fact, photography has for years proved an invaluable help in connection with aerial reconnaissance. By its aid any alterations in enemy entrenchments are easily spotted by comparing the picture taken one day with the picture previously obtained. It will be easily understood that aerial photography requires a special camera, since it is desirable to obtain as large and as clear a picture as possible, while at the same time a certain altitude has to be maintained in order to be moderately safe from the fire of the guns below. For this purpose the camera used is fitted with a long focus lens, and the usefulness of the camera as a chartographer when atmospheric conditions are unfavourable, is further extended by the employment of specially prepared plates and colour screens that will give a clear picture in spite of a slight ground mist. In this connection it would be interesting to known what became of the multiple camera invented some years ago by a German professor. The general principle of this camera was, if I remember rightly, that the lenses of the series of cameras converged, and that by cutting the prints obtained from simultaneous exposures with the different cameras, a complete picture was obtained which was not only an excellent bird's eye—or should it be an aviator's eye ?—view of the country photographed, but which was absolutely to scale. XXX At a time like the present, when the general consensus of opinion with regard to aero engines seems to be that reliability is of greater importance than weight, or rather lightness, it is interesting to learn from Lord Northcliffe that such an authority on aviation matters as M. Bleriot considers that all engines in use at present, German as well as French and English, are far too heavy. It might well be that opinions such as these held by a man of M. Bleriot's standing may result in the production of a new type of aviation motor. It is a general rule that if the demand for a certain thing be sufficiently great and suf ficiently insistent, that thing is usually forthcoming. Although M. Bleriot has not up till now tackled the problem of aero engines, it would not be surprising if he, by his influence, were instrumental in getting a motor firm to produce the engine he wants. We shall see. XXX With regard to the mention made by Lord Northcliffe of two pilots well known on this side of the channel, it is worthy of note that M. Salmet, that pastmaster in the art of piloting Bleriot monoplanes, was responsible for the organisation of the raid on Karlsruhe some time ago. Another French pilot, young de Lesseps, mentioned by Lord Northcliffe, will probably be less familiar to " FLIGHT " readers, although early followers of aviation will undoubtedly remember the name as being that of one of the pioneers in aviation. De Lesseps is stated by Lord Northcliffe to have pursued a Zeppelin for forty- five minutes and so severely damaged it that it fell a complete wreck in the German lines. ^OLUS. 269
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
