FIGHTING IN THE AIR

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2351, 6 January 1915, Page 8

FIGHTING IN THE AIR

TRAINING PILOTS AND SCOUTS. "The halo has gone from the pilot, but the air. still holds, its romance," said 'an officer of the Royal Flying Corps, commenting on the modern aspects of aviation, to a "Daily Mail" special at Salisbury Plain.. In the distance, towards Netheravon, aeroplanes buzzed and soared in the early morning freshness. Tho frost was still thick on the roadways, yet high in the crystal air there already hovered four biplanes, and a monoplane. As we watched them curvet and wheel one swooped down suddenly, deflected dfcs planes, and gracefully looped the loop. That set the officer talking. _ "It's against regulations to do trick work, though there's nothing difficult in it. Looping the loop is about equivalent to driving backwards in a motorcar. But you can't hold these youngsters in check. Yes, , the old glories have .departed, and better so, perhaps. That's another of the consequences of war."

We were in time to witness the departure of a flight of machines "on secret service." Those cryptic words invariably mean the front. The four biplanes shuddered to the roar of their Eowerful engines. The mechanics reused them and swiftly they sailed like four majestio swans through the air. Their destination lay 150 miles away, yet-they reached it in less than two. hours. Aeroplanes from Salisbury usually fiy to a depot on the coast, then cross the Channel to their base on foreign soil. I was permitted to view the squadron at work. 8.8. and R.E. seem to be the prevailing types, and biplanes are ' more" favoured than monoplanes, their greater facilities for landing in confined areas more than counter-bal-ancing the alleged superior speed of _the monoplane, which has a rival rapidly ousting it in the latest machine with "staggered" planes. Several craft in the sheds have endured active servico' and are mounted with-the necessary Maxims. They are painted sea-green to escape observation, and are fitted with 100 h.p. Gnome engines, which are air-cooled and behind the airmen. The pilot sits behind the gunner, whose vicious quick-firer spits its hail from the fore part of the vessel. Much excellent service has heon rendered by them in France. A sergeant whom 1 met later in the village gave a graphic account of an aerial encounter, in Belgium. His lieutenant and he manoeuvred for half an hour, firing with Maxim and revolver against a rifle-armed Taube, which they eventually wrecked. On their return they suffered from rifle fire from the French, their wings being riddled with shot. A s'hell finally compelled thom to descend.

There is keen rivalry for admission to the Flying Corps and the waiting list is still long. This is. the record given mo by a young subaltern who a few days ago obtained the spread wings and crown which is the badge of the Royal Flying Corps. He took his first flight six weeks ago at Farnborough, where he stayed three weeks on probation prior to obtaining his brevets and passing on to the school at TJpavon. Now he was gazetted as second lieutenant and flies twice and thrice daily. Novices learn on old pattern machines, which are now fitted with movable struts. At the school they take practical courses in engine construction, map reading, musketry, transport work, and meteorology. Thoy are extraordinarily enthusiastic. To-day at 4 p.m., when lectures cease, there was a stampede for a passing motor lorry, and these youths tore along to the sheds for an hour's fly before dark. At five o'clock there were thirteen aeroplanes buzzing and humming over tho plain, and in each of them keen, radiant, and nonchalant young commandors.