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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0415.PDF
MAY 3, 1917. I/LIGHT) IDENTIFICATION OF GERMAN AEROPLANES. •;- > (COPYRIGHT.) Continued from page 393.) IN our last issue we published sketches of six different German aeroplanes, all shown from the same point of view, i.e., three-quarter front from below, and all relatively to the same scale. This week the series is continued with the same machines from a different point of view. The reason for illustrating the various machines all in the same attitude is, as was pointed out last week, that by so doing comparison is facili- tated. Later on, when the machines have been illustrated in what appears to us to be a sufficient number of attitudes, we may collate the different sets in groups showing each machine in its different attitudes, thereby illustrating, not so much the differences between the various machines, but all the special features of each. From the views published this week it will be seen that such features as dihedral angle and backswept or, as the Americans call them, retreating wings, do not appear to be of much help for identification purposes, since some machines possess one feature, some the other, and some both or neither, and it will often be found impossible to determine whether the slope of a wing is due to one or the other. The xelative size of the machines is, as before, well brought •out in this view, as are also such distinctive features •as the overhang of the top planes, the shape of the wing tips—whether raked, straight, or rounded—and the form of the ailerons. A further peculiarity which may be helpful, and which is emphasised in this set as well as in that published last week, is the size and shape of the cut- out portions of the trailing edge of the wings. Thus it will be noticed that, in the Halberstadt the opening in the top plane is of rectangular shape, while the lower planes have not been cut away near the body. In the Albatros Bii the trailing edge of the lower planes also runs right up to the sides of the body, but the top plane has a wide semi-circular portion cut away. Of the four larger machines the L.V.G. is the only one that does not have the trailing edges of the lower wings cut away near the body, and the opening in the top wing is quite small. The other machines have both upper and lower wings cut in varying degree, the size and shape of the cut-away •portions being clearly indicated in the illustrations. A feature that is very clearly brought out in the view published this week is the shape ©f the tail planes, which are, of course, seen from above, thus giving a better idea of the peculiarities of fins and rudders than was possible in views from underneath. It might be objected that the gunner on the ground would never see an aeroplane from the point of view chosen this week. With this we do not quite agree, since it is possible, as the reader may convince himself by holding the page out at arm's length and slightly above his head, to see the aeroplanes from this point of view when they are doing a steeply banked turn. In any case we trust that the utility of this series of illustrations may not be confined** to anti-aircraft gunners, but may be extended to pilots as well. For the guidance of those pilots who are not familiar with the gun placing on the various machines, the present set should be useful in showing the number of seats of each type and where the gunner is situated, whether in the front or rear seat. The two smallest machines, the Halberstadt and Albatros Bfi, are single seaters, all the others being two-seaters. Where the gunner occupies the rear cockpit it will in many cases be found that the pilot is equipped with a synchronised gun firing forward and sighted by steer- ing the machine itself. The same applies to the single seaters, which are, we believe, frequently equipped with two synchronised guns firing straight forward. Whatever the positions of the guns, and this may very probably be changed from time to time, the safest point from which to attack any one of the machines here illustrated is to the rear of and below the tail of the German aeroplane, since here the gunner is prevented by his own tail planes from effectively replying. The following table gives the approximate dimen- sions of the various machines:— Name of Machine. Albatros C. III.. Albatros Bfi. ..Aviatik Halberstadt .. L.V.G Rumpler Span. Top. ft. 3928 4* 28 42 40 in. 2 4 0 6 10 10 Bot. ft. 3726 35 26 37 36 in. 3 9 4 0 10 10 Gap. ft. '5 56 4s 5 5 in. 3 3 46 6 9 Chord. ft. 6 56 5 5 5 in. 1 9 1 0 IO 6 Length O.A. ft. 26 24 26 24 27 26 in. 4 0 3 0 0 4 "The Air Board and Aerial Civil Transport. . ; ' i - FROM the full report of the debate on April 26th on theAir Board, which appears elsewhere in this issue, it will be •seen that Major Baird, Parliamentary Secretary to the AirBoard, stated that a Committee, to include representatives not only of the two Services and the Air Board but also ofthe Board of Trade, Post Office, Foreign Office, Colonies, Treasury, &c, is being appointed, under the Chairmanship^ ofLord Northcliffe, to enquire into the question of Aerial Civil Transport after the war. The terms of reference are asfollows :— " To consider and report to the Air Board with regard-to : (1) The steps'which should be taken with a view to thedevelopment and regulation after the war of aviation for civil and commercial purposes from the domestic, Imperial, andinternational standpoints ; (2) the extent to which it will be possible to utilise for the above purposes the trainedpersonnel and the aircraft which the conclusion of peace may leave surplus to the requirements of the Naval andMilitary Air Services of the United Kingdom and Overseas .Dominions." Raid on German Destroyers. The Admiralty issued the following on April 24th:—" The Vice-Admiral at Dover states that he has received a report from Dunkirk to the effect that on the afternoonof April 23rd reconnaissance machines reported the presence of hostile destroyers, and three British naval machines weredespatched to attack them. Five enemy destroyers were seen at 4.10 p.m., steaming between Blankenbergh andZeebrugge in a north-easterly direction five miles off the coast. The leading machine attacked, dropping 16 bombs,one of which was seen to obtain a direct hit. The remaining four destroyers scattered, and were attacked by the tworemaining machines, 32 bombs being dropped. The leading destroyer was observed to take a list to port and remainstationary after all bombs had been dropped. The four destroyers closed on the disabled craft. A hostile seaplaneattacked our machines, but was easily driven off. At 6.10 p.m. four destroyers were reported by reconnaissance machinesentering Zeebrugge Harbour. It is considered most probable that one destroyer was sunk." A semi-official telegram from Berlin claims that:—" No damage or loss of life was caused by the enemy machines, which were driven off by our battle one-seaters." 415 G
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