THRILLING AIR COMBATS.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 2 November 1917, Page 1

THRILLING AIR COMBATS.

The fighting in the air has been greater during the past fortnight than since the beginning of the war (writes the. ' Sootsman's'• war correspondent). The Germans have been making anotheT deermined attempt to regain the ascendancy, and once more have been decisively defeated. Since July 12 our aeroplanes have brought down 42 hostile aircraft; 43 have been driven down out of control; and three were put out of' action by " Archies "; while during the same period 51 British machines were reported missing. The Germans have been following ;the same tactics of large mass formations.- in the hope of overpowering us by sheer weight of numbers; but, although the majority of the combats have taken place far behind their own lines, thereby giving them a distinct advantage, they nave -invariably been defeated. Frequently pur men have encountered groups of 30 to 40 German machines flying well together, but whenever forced to fight they have quickly lost their formation, and each pilot has had to look after himself, with- 1 out much regard to the fortunes of "bis comrades. There have been some brilliant and successful attacks by our squadrons against enemy formations three times as large. One intrepid British airman did not hesitate on one occasion to engage L 5 machines single-handed, and hold them intil reinforcements arrived, driving down wo of Ms opponents and scattering others.

TiELREE MILES UP.

Oii several occasions our airmen have attacked and brought down enemy machines while the latter' were flying more than three miles above bur lines. One Hun two-seater, who made the mistake of dropping within 800 ft in the hope of swotting our infantry, suddenly found a British machine within 30 yards of Mm, and a moment later the enemy plane was sent whirling to the ground. The victorious pilot saw the wrecked aeroplane surrounded by our soldiers, who escorted the occupants, evidently wounded, towards the dressing-station. The majority of the German machines, however, have - : b'esn wrecked behind their own lines. Ite special correspondent of the Press Association, describing the work of-, our airmen, relates the following stories.:—An übserver in a fighting reconnaissance machine had a thrilling experience a ~few days ago. The plane was attacked by live Albatross scouts. The British machine drove down one of its assailants, which crashed and sent a second nosespinning out of control. Then the pilot lurched forward in his seat as a bullet from a machine gun found its billet. Emptying, the drum of his Lewis gun at his enemies, the observer leaned across "the figure of his stricken comrade, and, although he had very little knowledge of "pilot's work, succeeded-in landing behind tlie British lines. One of onr scouts »aw anti-aircraft shells bursting at , a great height, and dashed to see what it was all about. He found that the "Archies" were peppering a Hun airman who was flying very high, as Hun airmen generally do on the rare occasions that they venture to cross our.lines. In order to lose no time, in attacking, the Britisher stalled his machine—that is to say, he tilted it and let it drop back so as to bring his fire to bear. The German had all the advantage of position, but in a few moments he swooped headlong and 'crashed within our lines. . . .