FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1934
1934 - 1274.PDF
I27S FLIGHT. NOVEMBER 29, 1934. THE PUFF TARGET : Practising artilleryreconnaissance. The "Audax" is flying low so as ro appear in the photograph.Small smoke cartridges are exploded on the ground to represent shell bursts rounda target, and the pilot sends down W/T messages to correct the aim. (Flight Photo.) previously been given an explanation of the military situation and knows more or less what to look for, and he must report the position and movements of the enemy and occasionally of the troops of his own side. He would not be able to do all this satisfactorily but for his very thorough study of military organisation and tactics. He must be able to recognise the various arms, cavalry, infantry, artillery, tanks, and supply services, when at rest and when on the move. He must be able to estimate places in his area where he is likely to find concentrations, battery positions, etc, All the time that he is reconnoitring he is con- stantly sending down wireless reports of what he sees to the ground, and at the same time he is writing his own reports, timing each entry, which he will hand in after landing. When engaged on artillery reconnaissance, he works by W/T, one way, from air to ground, sending down his observations of the shell fire after each salvo by code, and each signal is received by an airman wireless operator attached to the battery. When engaged on photography he has to make each exposure himself, for automatic cameras are not used and developing, however, are not his business, done by the photographic section. The question is sometimes asked by the uninitiated, why does not the man in the back seat relieve the pilot of some of these duties? During the war an observer was carried, whose primary duty was to observe, while he also operated the signals. Then the pilot flew as the observer directed him, and concentrated his attention on piloting the machine. The whole theory is now different. The pilot is not considered an overworked man. The piloting of the machine must be done almost automatically, without his having to think about it, and it is not counted among his anxieties. He concentrates on his reconnaissance, his signals, and his report writing. But he cannot give his whole mind to these matters if he is in any anxiety about his safety from an air attack. His reconnaissance is not Printing They are likely to be complete if half his attention is given to look-ing out for possible enemy aircraft which may attack him. Therefore the man in the back seat is an air gunner pure and simple. He is the sentry who keeps a look out tor enemy aircraft, and so relieves the pilot of any anxiety on that score. The psychological benefit to the pilot is tremendous. Obviously, during the twelve weeks of his course the pilot has to soak himself in military tactics, until he can think with the mind of an Army staff officer. This most important subject is taught by an Army officer on the staff of the School. Probably the pilot knows nothing at all about the commanding of a company or a platoon, but at the end of the course he has very considerable know- ledge of the ways of a brigade and a division. The officers do Army " schemes" on the ground during their course, they visit the School of Artillery at Larkhill and witness A LINE-UP : Hawker " Audax " machines (Rolls Royce '' KestrelCo-operation. (Flight Photo.) engines) of the School of Arm)
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
