MACHINE GUNS IN AIRSHIPS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1739, 2 May 1913, Page 6

MACHINE GUNS IN AIRSHIPS.

RECENT GERMAN EXPERIMENTS. Berlin, March 18. Reference was made recently to the fact that successful trials in firing machineguns from a Zeppelin airship had been carried out. The importance of tlieso trials lies liot so much in tlio circumstances that they were made as in the placo from which they wero made. It is pointed out that tho French airships carry machine-guns in cars, which can therefore be fired only at objects on tho same level or underneath them, and are useless as a' means of defence or attack against objects above their level. The new German Zeppelin airship L Z IG, or, as it will be named when it is taken over by tho military authorities, Z 4, is provided with a platform on the very body of tho balloon, which is reached through a species nf chimney from tho car attached underneath. On this upper, deckplatform there is room for several ma-chine-guns and several soldiers with riiles, and as all airships for the Army and Navy are to have such platforms, it follows, that they will be able to defend themselves against or attack any other aircraft above, around, or beneath them. Such platforms can, of course, be fitted only 011 nirships of the rigid type, and as it is claimed that Zeppelins can riso and cau manoeuvre more quickly than French airships, the Germans are congratulating themselves on having a,n aerial weapon far superior to any that their rivals can manufacture.

Writing in the "Militar Woclienblatt," an unofficial organ of tlio Prussian War Ministry, on the development of aerial craft and their military importance, Captain Schmidt, of tho Eleventh Bavarian Infantry Regiment, mokes several interesting suggestions. He remarks that the presence of at least two persons in every aeroplane has been proved to be absolutely necessary. One of these persons must attend to the technical direction of tho aeroplane, while the other makes' observations.. In tho newer machines, lie adds,, an arrangement is made by which tho apparatus can be worked from tho seat of the observer as well as that of the pilot proper, and he suggests that both should be thoroughly trained pilots. Seeing that biplanes enable pilot and observer to have a clearer outlook both in regard to the land underneath and lo iho direction in which the machine is flying, Captain Schmidt stales Hint the German Army Administration ureters tliem to monoplanes, though without declaring tho latter unsuited for military purposes. Captain Schmidt alro points out that the types at present employed by the various military Powers are very much alike, which renders it practically impossible for flying men to distinguish between their own and foreign machines. A way will have to ! be found, he says, to obviate this difficulty. Furthermore, he declares that the task of approaching the enemy as inconspicuously as possible must be made easier for the pilot, and in his opinion the machines must bo painted with n colour that renders llieir discovery difficult. Some means must also, he adds, Ik discovered of rendering the humming of the motors less distinct. In conclusion. ho states t.|jat while improvements are being made almost daily in the construction of machine's, the most perfect appnratus is worth little unless in tlio hands of an excellently trained personnel, but he believes that in this respect also Germany is in no danger of boiii* left behind.—"Morning Post."