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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 0389.PDF
FEBRUARY I3TH, 1941. CHARIOTS FOR THE CLAMOUR BOYS (Continued) CS/C? \ JEMY: ith Camel Major on the WITH OUR LATE FRIENDS Barker of No. 28 Squadron flying hisfy Italian front (right). ONE—TWO—THREE, SWING: Air mechanics carryingout the proper drill for starting the engine of a Sqpwfth Dolphin. Note the two Vickers guns on the top of th« engine. Scarff gun mounting, the use of which has only just gone out. It was in the latter part of 1916 that the Higher Com- mand of the R.F.C. realised that air fighting was to prove no exception to the accepted principles of military strategy. Attack was the best defence, and the enemy were sought out at their own aerodromes instead of escort- ing our own machines and waiting for them to attack. The application of this principle was highly successful, but it had a temporary setback in 1917, when the German Albatrosses, flown by specially picked and trained pilots, swung the pendulum of air supremacy once more in the enemy's favour. By this time, however, the manu- facturing power of the Empire was asserting itself, and late, but well-conceived, plans began to mature. A spate of fighting machines, such as Bristol Fighters, S.E.5S, Sop- with Camels and Dolphins, all heavily armed for these days, S.E.5 ARMAMENT : The armament of the S.E.5S variedsomewhat. This one—of No. 1 Squadron—had a Vickers firing through* the prop, and a Lewis on the top plane. Thetelescopic sight for the Vickers is mounted on the fuselage. began to arrive in ever increasing numbers. The fighting aeroplane as a multi-gun offensive weapon had arrived, and its niche in the scheme of things was established. Before we leave this period it will interest present-day fighter pilots to read extracts from some notes on fighting in single-seater Scouts issued by General H.Q. in Novem- ber, 1916 (and observe how the fundamentals remain the same to-day, even if some of the actual tactics appear to have a humorous touch): — "The single-seater Scout is fast, very easily handled, a good climber, and capable, owing to its qualities of penetration through the air and the stoutness of its build, of diving with great speed on an adversary. Its armament ON THE RIGHT LINES : Synthetic air gunnery trainingin 1918. The cockpit moved along the rails while the gunner fired at stationary targets. ALL OUR OWN WORK : An S.E.5 pilot keeps tally of asquadron's 14-day effort. The Sidcot suit of 23 years ago looks uncommonly like a Sidcot suit.
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