ARMY AEROPLANES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 1290, 29 August 1914, Page 4

ARMY AEROPLANES.

BRITAIN’S STRENGTH. MANOEUVRES ON BIG SCAEE. Seventy aeroplanes, over xoo flying officers, 150 transport vehicles and a staff of 150 mechanics, all belonging to the Royal Flying Corps, were mobilised at Netheravon, on Salisbury Plain, during the first week in June, At the time it was the largest concentration of aerial strength that had been seen in the army. Britain had, in fact, called up every available unit of her aerial corps, and as far as efficiency goes, it was shown by the evolutions conducted that the Royal Flying Corps had reached what was considered by the authorities to be an unassailable position in the air. France or Germany, it is true, under similar circumstances, could have made a much better . numerical showing, but when the details of the gigantic display at Netheravon are taken into consideration, when the completeness of the arrangements and the perfection with which they were carried out is understood, the nation can rest assured that Britain’s aerial position is safe, and can compare favourably with her great rival in the held to day. The Netheravon camp is said to have been thoroughly equipped from the aerial engineering standpoint. The special equipment, of a kiud quite new to military service. for improving, fitting-out, and “tunlng-up” the machine, was of an elaborateness and efficiency which would be hard to beat. There were travelling motor workshops, each weighing six tons and costing over which could follow a squadron of planes at high speed over the roads. There were complete wireless

telegraphic installations mounted on motor-cars for field service, while at night the sky was scoured by the beams of powerful searchlights, also mounted on motorchassis, together with the engines and dynamos necessary for their illumination. There were other interesting departments, about which little can be learned, in,connection with the new weapons which aerial warfare has called into existence.

In regard to the aeroplanes themselves, it appears that the Royal Flying Corps has experimented thoroughly with every type. The monoplane, such as M. Guillaux used in his memorable Melbourne-Sydney flight, has again come Into favour, and was used extensively for scouting. The Henry and Maurice Farman biplanes, similar machines in every respect to that flown so successfully at Sydney by Mr Lebbeus Hordern, with the exception that the floats used for alighting on the water were replaced by a landing chassis with wheels, carried a pilot and observer on extended cross-country flights. A few of these machines were fitted with dual control, so that they could be navigated from either seat. The latest type of biplane, however, carrying two officers, was fitted with single control, while the span or vvingspread was comparatively small, with the passenger seat or “nacelle” raised high up between the planes. Night flying was one of the most remarkable achievements of the army airmen. Air scouts, it is stated, were able to swoop quite close to encampments of troops without being seen, although the pickets and sentries were on the look-out and actually were able to locate their approximate whereabouts by the whirr of the propellers. The era of the silent aeroplane has undoubtedly brought aircraft into more deadly significance.