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Aviation History
1918
1918 - 1089.PDF
SEPTEMBER 26, 1918. I* tfSssEfr MR. HERBERT BAILEY, a war correspondent with the Americans at the South end of the French line of battle, gives a graphic pen picture in the Daily Mail of the start by the Americans of their own air-offensive in support of their troops. " The Germans," Mr. Bailey says, " in their St. Mihiel retreat used two main roads. The Americans closed one of these to the enemy, and his sole avenue of escape was the road ••>. from St. Benoit to Woel. Congested transport, troops and guns were struggling along this road, when there suddenly appeared 150 American airmen carrying small bombs and 500 rounds of ammunition each. "Swooping down on the road they pelted bombs and bullets. Horses fell, men ran for their lives, wagons disappeared in flames, and all that was left was a jumbled mass. It was this that enabled the Yanks to make a greater haul." AND presently the "Yanks" will really get going withtheir aerial methods. AT the Mendoza Galleries in Old Bond Street, where some wonderful Italian war photographs are on exhibition, under the auspices of the Italian Foreign Action Bureau, not the least interesting is an enlargement of Vienna from above, taken from Major d'Annunzio's aeroplane, with the leaflets dropping around as thick as a miniature snow-storm. No fog about that picture whatever there was over Vienna 1 THE All-Highest should be in good favour with metal workers —especially Christian workers—having regard to his expertness in camouflaging spelter as gold, when being over-generous with thousand to ten thousand pound (sterling) gold trophies ! It's no wonder therefore he has sent a telegram to the Christian Metal Workers' Union, in which, according to an Essen tele- gram to the Lokalanzeiger, he expressed his gratification at their avowal of unshakable and staunch loyalty to the Emperor and the Empire, and his confidence that, " with God's help, the united strong will of the entire German people, ready for any sacrifice, would accomplish the attainment of a happy and free future." Just so, about as spurious as the AU-Liest's trophies. ' .••• SEA-BOAT shrimping seems a possible post-war pastime, judging by the seaplane accident reported to have occurred off the East Coast last Thursday. When flying low a machine caught the mast and sail of a shrimp boat engaged in fishing. The seaplane, in attempting to rise, lifted the sailing craft out of the water, but the mast and shroud plate broke, and the boat settled again on her keel. The owner, the only man on board, escaped injury, and the pilot of the seaplane, which was disabled, was rescued by another shrimper. No information is available as to the fate of the shrimps. ." NOT the least of the horrors of war is that that ghastly anomaly, the " descriptive" piece, has been extended to include imitations of Zeppelin raids, with concomitant bomb- droppings (bass drum) and machine guns (fury of kettle- drums). As music, this effort of Mr. Howard Carr's, which was recently given a hearing at a promenade concert, is only one degree removed from " Dawn in the Farm Yard," as given in the L.C.C. parks, to the great glee of the young, who salute the cock-crowing with deiighted shrieks. Surely British composers can do better than this—music should induce emotion, and not crudely imitate effects. YET another " Flying Sonnet " has been unearthed by a correspondent of the Times, the Countess Martinengo Cesa- resco, which was written by the courtly rake, Luigi Tansillo (circa 1535) :— Poi che spiegat'ho 1'aii al bel desio ~ Quanto piu sott' il pie' 1'aria mi scorgo ' . Pio le veloci penne al vento porgo, .•_:.-••- Et spreggio il mondo et vers' il ciel m'invio. ~Tr ~i Ne del hg iuol de Dedalo il fin rio Fa che giu pieghi, anzi vie piu risorgo ; ., ^ . --v " Che cadr6 morto a terra ben m'accorgo Ma qual vita pareggia al morir mio ? -•;, .• •"• •; - La voce del mio cor per l'aria sento : - >.. r / Dove mi porti temerario ? China, ;' Che raro e senza duol tropp1 ardimento. ..' .. '_ Non temer, rispond'io, l'alta ruina, ; . :..-.'.. /."£•; Fendi sicur le nubi, et muor contento • n -_ /: S'il ciel si illustre morte ne destina.' ~..~C".'•'•' v ^. •• Tempts me to swerve, as in the golden haze Onwards I soar, conscious without amaze ' - Of hovering Death ; for what life may compare *r •; With this my death ? I hear the faint soul cry : - • ' :. " Return," she pleads, " dare not, too rash, the grave, '-•„• " Nor nerve, nor art may, reckless, Fate defy." " Fear not," I answer, " the fell crash, nor brave.- " Unshaken cleave the clouds, and happy die, . ' • . • » " Should Heaven ordain us the proud death I crave." Sir Sidney Lee, in an interesting addenda, quotes a further couplet by the same writer :— Questi aspiro a le stelle, e s' ei non giunse. La vita venne men, ma non l'ardire. which we may translate roughly : " Who'd reach the stars, though losing his desire"" And life withal, did not in vain aspire." ~ WE notice Mr. Daniels, Secretary of the U.S. Navy, is reported, when speaking on Monday at the Eddystone Am- munition Corporation at Philadelphia, to have said that on his calendar in Washington there was recorded an engage- ment, of which the date was not yet set, to go with the Marine Band when it marches in the triumphal entry of General Pershing's victorious Army into Berlin. We venture to express the hope that our powers that be will not be once again too late in making their application for permission to have, in this triumphal procession into the German capital, representatives of at least some of the units, including the R.A.F., which have been carrying on for the last four years or so, in saving civilisation from the Huns. These samples of the Allies' units, it could be underst ood, would ot course have to take their chance of there being room left in Berlin, at the fag end of the procession, for them to squeeze in." They might anyway hope to get as far as the outskirts of the city for the final scenes. It's worth a try for, anyhow. TEN YEARS AGO. ~ Excerpts from the " Auto." (" FLIGHT'S " precursor and sister Journal) of September, 1908. " FLIGHT " was founded at the latter end of 1908. ~ .-. WILBUR WRIGHT FLIES FOR 19 MINS. 50 SECS. Slowly, but surely, Mr. Wilbur Wright is creeping up to the French records of flight. One fine day he took out his machine, and modestly flew for 1 min. 42 secs. 1 On the next day he flew for 3 mins. 43 sees., on the next day 6 mins. 56 sees., on the day afterwards for 8 mins. 13 secs. That was August 13th. On September 3rd he flew for 10 mins. 49 sees., and on September 5th for 19 mins. 50 secs. DELAGRANGE-RECORDMAN DU MOND. M. Delagrange on Sunday morning last established new records. Up to Sunday morning Mr. Henry Farman had held the record for duration with a flight lasting 20 mins. 19I sees., but when M. Delagrange rose in the air at ten minutes to seven he remained rloft for 29 mins. 53-J sees., thereby improving upon Mr. Farman's flight by more than 9 mins. Naturally, with such an accomplishment, he also achieved a record distance, 24.727 kiloms. THE " REPUBLIQDE " MAKES A RECORD. On Saturday ot last week, the new French military airship •' Republique" established a record for closed circuit journeys, starting from and returning to the same headquarters. Leaving Chalais Meudon at ten minutes to nine in the morn- ing with Maj. Voyer, Capt. Bois and a mechanic on board, a course was set in the direction of Paris, where it passed by the Eiffel Tower and over the Esplanade des Inv?lides en route for Belleville. Two hours after starting the " Re- publique " arrived at Senlis. The return journey was made over practically the same route as the outward run, and headquarters were reached at ten minutes past three, after a flight lasting 6 hours 20 mins., during which time a distance of about 125 miles was covered. An English version is appended:— -' *'--• As on wide wings exultant through the air, i ir The depths beneath unfold them to my gaze, With keener joy my pinions swift I raise - And spurn the earth and boldly heavenwards fare. Nor any thought of Daedalus' sad care ORVILLE WRIGHT FLIES FOR 57 MINS. 31 SECS. ' •--•'••' As we go to press, by cable we learn from Washington, U.S.A., that Orville Wright (Wilbur Wright's brother) has created, on Wednesday morning, the 9th inst., a marvellous new record for flying, by keeping in the air on his new aero- plane for no less a period than 57 mins. 31 sees., less than i\ mins. under the hour. This extraordinary performance too«f place on the parade grounds at Fort Meyer, which Wright circled round at a speed of about 36 to 38 miles an'hour, fifty-eight times in the presence of a number of officers of the Signal Corps of U.S.A. and a number of civilians. IO89
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