FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1917
1917 - 1097.PDF
Flight, October 25, 1917. BMG1NE&FL First Aero Weekly in the World. Founder and Editor: STANLEY SPOONER. A Journal devoted to the Interest*, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport. OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. No. 461. (No. 43, Vol. DC.) OCTOBER 25, 1917. fWeekly, Price ML Pott Free, 4d. Flight and The Aircraft Engineer. Editorial Office: 44, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON, W.C. 2. Telegrams: Truditur, Westrand, London. Telephone: Gerrard 1828. Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free. United Kingdom .. 15.?. id. Abroad.. .. ,. xos. od. CONTENTS. Editorial Comment: • PAGE Next Year's Offensive .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1097 The Romance of Aerial Travel .. .. .. .. .. .. 1098 " One Air Service; One Uniform ; One Badge" .. .. .. 1098 Entry to the R.F.C 1100 The 120 h.p. Six-Cylinder Union Aero Engine.. .. .. .. .. 1102 Honours .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 110S The Roll of Honour 1106 Answers to Correspondents .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1107 " X " Aircraft Raids 1108 Paris to London by Air. By D. W. Thorburn .. .. .. .. 1109 Aircraft Engineering Notes .. .. .. .. .. .. ..mi The Davidson Life-Saving Dress for Seaplane Pilots .. .. .. mi Airisms from the Four Winds _ 1112 The Simms Magneto .. .. .. ., .. .. .. 1115 Personals .. .. .. .. _ . .. 1116 The British Air Services 1118 Aircraft Work at the Front. Official Information 1120 Aviation in Parliament .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1121 Models .. .. .. .. .. ., .. 1123 Imports and Exports, 1916-1917 .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1124 EDITORIAL COMMENT. E stand now on the threshold of the fourth winter of war. At this time last year the" hope was cherished that 1917 would see the decisive defeat of the Hun, and that our men would be spared another winter of the appalling life of the trenches. Had it not been for the Russian debacle those hopes might well have been realised, but, as we know now to our sorrow, they have not materialised into accom- plished fact, and we are left to con- template with what satisfaction we can muster the certainty of another winter of war. Now, the winter is the time when both sets o*f belli- gerents have leisure from the actual work of fighting to take stock of their position and to prepare plans and co-ordinate resources for the new campaign of the next spring. Already the enemy has laid his plans, and is busy with the preparations for translating them into deeds. He knows that in the spring of 1918 he is going to be faced with the full effective power of the United States, which, by then, will have X Air*" 8 Offensive. been added to that of the older partners of the Alliance, against whom alone he has not been able to stand during the fighting of 1917. But, despite that knowledge, he has not lost heart, and intends making the most desperate efforts not only to stave off actual defeat but to win the war. He has realised earlier than most that he has only one possible avenue open to him for the achievement of his object, and thar is by the creation of an overpoweringly strong air service. According to information which has recently come into the hands of the French General Staff, the number of German battle-planes is to be at least doubled during the winter, and the aeroplane and engine building factories throughout Germany are greatly enlarging their plants in accordance with this decision, as for some time has been plainly apparent would be the case. Switzerland is being laid under contribution. Two hundred and fifty Argus motors have been ordered from a firm in the Zurich district. The Fokker firm, which is building fighting biplanes in great numbers, as well as a new triplane of great speed and fighting power, has taken over the great Berzina piano factories in Schwerin. For bombing formations heavy three-seater machines —improved Gothas—are being built which can, it is said, carry between seventeen and eighteen hundred pounds weight of bombs. In every direction Germany is displaying feverish energy in the production of more, and yet more, aircraft. During the six months from February to August, 29 important industrial concerns were added to the number of factories, making aeroplanes or their accessories in Germany. Simultaneously with this great increase in manu- facturing power, the Germans are literally looking everywhere for recruits for the flying service. Ap- plications for transfer to the air service are now received from both infantry and engineers, instead of being restricted to cavalry as was formerly the case. Applications are now dealt with in a month, and there is no doubt the personnel of the German flying service has been very largely increased during the current year. Volunteers are being asked for, principally for the fighting planes, but a large number of officers are also being trained as observers. We have briefly detailed these facts in order the better to point the moral that Germany is leaving no stone unturned to meet the great Allied air offensive she expects in the early months of next year. It is axiomatic in war that the best plan of action is to
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
