GREAT AIR RAIDS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2652, 24 December 1915, Page 6

GREAT AIR RAIDS

■i:v —7—- —7-' . _ r TO END THENAR ■ 7 ' PREPARATIONS lITBRITAIN ; Br Telegraph—Press Afi«ociation—Copyright New York, December 22. Mr. George Robinson, a representative for the Gui'tiss aeroplanes, lias <ar- ■ rivod here. He states that' a. fleet of giant aircraft has been built,'.arid is destined to decide she campaign in tlio We6t. ' Great Britain, was developing v.;''- s '-'nineteen types of air machines, ranging from scouts to battle oruisers. Serial equipment is growing - at, tremendous . speed.- ' ' ■ A .'.visiting aviatioil ofßcer states that Igreat raids are impending, in which it ■ ' is oxpected to attaui in a single stroke ... the'result or practically obliterating V) "fortifications.As worked out the deHails call for COO giant; machines, .each carrying 3500 pounds •of nitrocellulose (guucotton), ■ of terrific destructive power. The aeroplanes will be divided wto squadrons of twenty; battle-cruisers : 1 carrying . bombs and . quickfirers, pre- ■> ■ cedca by two very fast scouts, who will , inform. tlio convoy .of- the : conditions > : ;• ahead..i Each squadron .will.takp:tlie : air ; Vlat a. prearranged .signal. ; Flying- 'at sixty"miles an hour it 'will have a .minute .headway.- over- .the,' .following .''squadron. Tho macliines'will spread out : ' and form -a -line 'one; mile" and a', quarter ; . -long. * Oii"reaching Itlio fortified places itho scoutswill ■ give the signal to the j:, maintainan • r \ elevation'': of.; 3000-feet,.\whero they, will bo iuimuno from -jaiMraft" guris. The . commanders'"estimate • that not mpro. (than:.ten be.rtaken to;;fly ; ' Soypr tlio : -place where the'rb'ombs ;'are ; .-, .to;-'be • dropped, atvintervals }of' fortyfivo'seconds from each succeeding ;squad-lori/'of'.-.w'liich' twenty-five -will; be em- ■. . ployed:' This ' means a \total' of • 17,000 . ■■■■'"""■t»oinbs''drbpped-. A number of scientific, ■ devices have been -developed, chief of which is a bomb-thrower.' When the. ' (raids on Krupps and the Kiel - Canal were made/the' new devices showed true Work.- France will share, in tho'. raids.