THE BALLOON STRAFER AERODROME ACROBAT?

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 92, 12 January 1935, Page 23

THE BALLOON STRAFER AERODROME ACROBAT?

(By (

Cavell Nichol,

aged 18, Wellington.)

The sun was sinking in the west, and the mechanics’of the Squadron were peering intently into the heavens as if expecting aGe < air raid on the aerodrome. On! nr>o Then, to their straining ears, came the sound of an aeroplane engine and a few moments later* a vicious-looking Camel plane came . of the sky, travelling at over 120 miles an hour. It went into a scieam „ dive and hurtled toward the mechanics as though it never meant to’ Rat-tat-tat!! Long tongues of flame licked the muzzles of the t - Lewis machine-guns, and bullets kicked up the turf and dust at the mechanics feet The latter began racing over the ground with surprising sP the Camel came up out of its dive with a suddenness which almost d a ß g« the wings from it. Round the plane swooped again the dyingsun, gllinting off its silver wings. Again the Camel went into a dive b 'J t , th , e a “ ' had reached the hangars and safety, lhe . I ? atbar ’. cla / nl P i ’ at 2 a of roariously and proceeded to stunt with a daring that brought the heartsot the watchers below into their mouths. The Camel climbed < !P? e m > ' then went toward the ground with astounding speed, lhe pilots p ca “? waving their arms, signalling the plane to land. Down, down wared ll plane, howling past them so close that the men diopped flat to t & with terror-stricken yells, making their leather coats flap wildly about then. One of the men scrambled to his feet, spluttering indignantly. “The silly young owl,” he gasped. . “He’ll murder us all yet. He looked about him and scowled as he saw the Camel taxi-ing the landing ground, with mechanics running by the side of the plane t hold it. Before it had stopped, however, the pilot vaulted over the Sl de. “Hullo, hullo,” he roared, striding up to the pilots who’ were dustin ß themselves down, “how are you all, to-day?" Before they could reply, however, an irate-looking man came stoim.n ß from the officers’ huts, yelling something the pilots could not catch. “Hey’, Adams,” Squadron Leader Hanks bellowed, tearing up I ke a mad bull, “what’s the idea, stunting before the whole squadron. What dyou think you are, a circus, hey? If I had my way there d be a court-martial. You’re a disgrace to the Squadron, sir—a. disgrace to your unit. You ie behaving like a little kid of four. The next time you stunt above the Wasps Squadron I’ll report you, sir—report you. Pah, what is this Squadron coming to? The Wasps, you call yourselves? Bah!’ He turned on his heels and stamped back to the huts. On the s.ep he turned and shook an enraged fist at the group of pilots, then turned and stamped inside. In fact, he stamped so hard that he put his foot through a rotten floorboard and sat down with a yelh No one dated to laU °Through all that pile of eloquence Archie Adams had said not a word, for he had found that “meekness turneth away wrath,” so he had said “YYm’ll get it in the neck one of these fine days,” prophesied Flight Commander Smith. Archie’s friend. “You’re an idiot, Archie, gettin Hanks s goat like that.” • „ “Rats, old pal,” returned Archie, cheerfully; be cant eat me. Just then an orderly came-up to Archie and saluted. “Major Sandforth wishes to see you, sir,” he told Archie. “Mv aunt,” groaned that worthy, “I’m in for it. He strode off toward the major’s office, and a knock on the door brought the major’s response of “Come in.” . ~ , , , . Archie entered, and Major Sandforth smiled and nodded to a chair. “Won’t you sit down, Adams?” Archie seated himself in a hard chair, and waited for the major to speak. Three minutes elapsed, then the major looked up. “Anything to report at all?” he asked. “No, sir, nothing at all,” he returned, and Major Sandforth nodded. “I’ve received certain information,” he began, “that the Germans are trying to locate the heavy guns which destroyed that small dump last week, and they are trying to find out this position by observation balloon. Three were up this morning, but when the 134th Squadron went out to shoot them down they were brought down by the Germans to safety. Now, to-morrow morning I want you to patrol a little after dawn, over the German lines. W’hen they see one plane they will not take much notice, but dive when you get close enough and send them down.- Send all you can down in flames. You may go.” Archie left in high spirits longing for the morrow, and he passed into the mess to worry a few more chaps.

(‘To be coutinued.)