MOCK AIR RAIDS

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1927, Page 2

MOCK AIR RAIDS

MANOEUVRES MARRED BY TRAGEDY. (Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON. July 25

The mock war has already provided valuable lessons. The encmj made a series of most daring raids from the east and south in a continuous attempt to break the defence cordon. Low ci'ouds aided the attackers, but all the five raids were quickly dctectec thanks to the small fighting planes. Within ten minutes of the first appearance of each of the five raids, the ■direction was traced out, and met by superior forces of defending planes. It is not yet known what the casualties the raiding bombers experienced, but poor visibiltiy enabled them to score some success upon the targets, which were the Duke of York’s School, Chelsea, and the Stores Depot at lviilbrooke. The “ enemy ” scored at least one direct hit on the Duke of York’s School, from fifteen thousand feet, the results being registered by camera obscured methods.

The defence included an artilleix barrage, as well as squadrons of aeroplanes. The working ot the inner zone defence, was conducted from Maplines room, of which its whereabouts was a profound secret, and from which orders were flashed by wirei’ess.

As the position of each attack was noted, a black disc was placed oil the map showing the height and direction in winch it was moving.

The manoeuvres were marred hy a tragedy at • the Northoft Aerodrome, when the Seventeenth Squadron was returning. Flying Officer Anderson colliding with the next machine, and crashed and was burnt to death in the sight of hundreds, who were unable to approach the blazing machine. The other pilot managed to land safely.

EIGHT RAIDS DURING DAY. LONDON, July 25

Later reports indicate that there were eight raids during the day. and of these, several reached their objectives without being intercepted in the

morning, necessitating the rearrangement of plans for defence. j No attacking squadron reached its! objective without several casualties. In one ease, a squadron crossed the j Coast at Havant at 8.14 a.m.. attacked the Chelsea area at 0.30 a.m. and at 10.5 a.m. the umpire noticed the machines were only three hundred yards from the Chelsea target ; and despita the fact that the attack was obscured by low clouds, tile patrol' squadron failed to intercept it, so this raid was ail “ enemy ” success. Another raid from Shoebiiryncss at eight o'clock failed, owing to low clouds.

Remembering the speed of modern aircraft, and that such a raider travels a mile while a shell from an archie is ciimhiug to him, it is difficult to see why any raid should fail. The squadron which crossed the coast at Bognor at midday, attacked Chelsea at one o’clock, inflicting severe casualties on the defending aircraft, and others. -The attackers were beaten off in the afternoon. The squadron, at three o’clock, bombed (lielsea from fifteen thousand feet, the patrol' searching two hours without making contact with the raiders.

Each bombing force were accompanied hy a photographer whose pictures will he built up in a mosaic map. In addition, each machine took a photograph as the bombs were dropped. The photos will ho used to test the accuracy of tho work. Bad weather defeated the night raids. The defence fighters were in readiness from ten o'clock, to set out at a moment's notice against the enemy, who were reported to have crossed the coast before 11.30 p.m. The raiders, however, encountered low clouds and drizzle and were forced to give up before approaching the Capital. They returned without the Home Defence Forces taking the air.

AIRMAN'S MIRACULOUS ESCAPE. WASHINGTON. July 25. Lieutenant Champion ascended forty eight thousand feet in a Wright Apache biplane, establishing an unofficial altitude record : after which lie had descended to thirty-six thousand feet, when seven of the nine cylinders blew on: their heads, ripping holes in the wings., and knocking the oxygen tube from Champion's month, the piston rods flying backwards, shattering the wings and endangering his life. Champion foil “ like a hat out of hell.” The plane was powerless and only able to volplane. He landed safely on a two-acre patch. The sealed barographs were undamaged, and held, pending calibration. The bureau standard’s experts declare that the safe descent was miraculous. The plane was completely frosted

LONG DISTANCE RECORD. DON DON. July 25.

Aviator Black landed at Croydon from a 18.600 mile flight from India, a record distance, with a passenger. He had also made record time from Europe to India in nine days against Monro’s previous record of eleven. This is regarded as a striking illustration of the commercial value of long distance air transport. Black flew thirteen days out of sixteen, which the journey occupied.