"THE PICTURES."

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 268, 20 April 1917, Page 3 (Supplement)

"THE PICTURES."

FHOTOGRAPHY BY PLANE. By " WINGS, R.F.CV " Hi! Jimmy. Go and get your flying kit. sharp; wore off to the war again as soon-u:i possible." The tall observer, strolling up the path to the mess, turns as he hears tho shout and inquires amiably, "What's tho racket now, o!d thing? Another shoot ?"

"No; photography tins- time. Richard's went up to take our area yesterday; the camera jammed when he had only done half, and I've got to fimsa tho job. So hustle up, tho machine is all ready, and the CO. panting for us to start.''

Jl.mmy turns away, with a regretful glance towards the mess, murmuring, "Funny how impatient majors usually are! No time lor a drink, 1 suppose!"" "No, not a second.''

" Oil, all right! What a horrible war it is!" And he into his hut in search of leather coat, helmet, and goggles. Five minutes later, when they are both seated in tho machine and watting to start, his mind seems still to be occupied with thoughts of nourishment in some form as he turns and inquires, "Got any chocolate? You <au have somo of ni'.uo if you haven't.'' "Thanks muchly. I will! But don't throw all the silver paper i"n my face a.i you usually do. Yesterday so much rubbish camo flying past my head at cno tune that 1 thought there must be a Hun somewhere shooting chunks off tho old machine.'' " You munt learn to put up with these little worries," reples Jimmy airily. "However, if you fly nicely I'll think about it." Tho rear of the engine puts a (stop to any further conversation, and K>on they skim off the ground and start on their job. * * * For hcllf an hour they sail up and down behind our lines, climbing steadily, both taking a keen interest in any movement on the ground below. Presently a Gorman machine crosses over to our «ido at a great height and is at once surrounded by clouds ot smoke from our bursting "Archies." They look up and watch him, but he finds (!t too hot for comfort, and, swerving round, goes back again, soon fading away in the dim distance. After a while Jimmy passes over a note: "What height are we!'" And tha pilot, after scribbling an answer on the back and add ng " What about that chocolate!'" hands it back. A moment later another scrap of paper changes hands on which is written, "Have eaten it all."

The pilot scowls and then smUes sardonically. Tho machine suddenly begins to roll and wallow in a most disconcerting manner.

Jimmy, never a good soxlor, stands it for a few moments, and then, thinking it tcmo this port of thing stopped, puts up his hands, one df them holding a largo bar of nut chocolate, while his lips form a soundless cry of "Kamerad."

The pilot receives tlie peace-offering with a grin of satisfaction and the machine proceeds on an even keel. Up to now tho flight has been more or less of a joy-nde, but, tho machine having reached the necessary height for taking photographs, the work begins in earnest.

The ji.lot hands over a brief note, "Am going over; keep your eyes open,' heads the machine towards the lines, and then concentrates his attention on his map and the ground below him. The observer gets up and looks over his machine gun and its .mounting to see that all is working smoothly, and then keeps a sharp watch on the sky nil round for hostile aircraft. The aeroplnno is travelling but slowly, against a strong head-wind, so that attacking Huns will have the advantage of swooping on our friends down wind, and how great that advantage is tho man on the ground con hardly realise.

The i< lot scans the country beneath him carefully, and, when directly over somo landmark tnat he has chosen from liis map as roughly in the centre of the arena he wants to take, he releases the shutter. A few swift movements and' the oxposed plate is changed for a fresh one, which is s'Wlilarly exposed over the next point.

So they gradually work farther over tho lines until nearly all tho plates are used. The last two have to be taken over a difficult bit of ground which appears to be nothing more than a few fhell-markcd fields, and the pilot finds it hard to get any central point to fly over. He finally decides on a point whom two tracks meet by a, hedge, and is manoeuvring to get over it, when the German " Archie'' gunners, thl.nknig it time they had something to say on tho subject, burst four high-explos-ive shells one after another all round the machine. Ho starts, looks swiftly round, and then banks the machine over, swerving away nono too scon from tho curling balls of smoke. Aga'n lie work*; up towards the chosen spot, twisting and turning among the bursting "Archies," and thin time manage;* to take the. photograph successfully. Only one more is left, but before thcro is t'mo to take it Jimmy suddenly jumps on his seat and grabs his gun, pciiiting to a machine that has appeared, aparently from nowhere, and i:j driving down on them from the sdo. There is a brief stuttering of a ma-chine-gun, end the attache! - has gone again a-: suddenly as he appeared, having no (les're. to carry on a prolonged light since he Ills failed in the first attempt. Jimmy sits down again, and the pilot begins once mere to make for h's final objective, which is reached without any further adventure except an occasional ''"Archie."

At la<t tb- job is finished, and. swinging round, they make tor our line*; ngn'n. Just as they cross them » sehll hurts (|iito close, and a second later the \i lot feels something small and hard graze- post his ear. Instinctively his hand goo« up. hut almost at the same tine he sees the grinning face of In- observer watching Itin. and realises that what ho thought w;v: a steel splinter was niorelv a welltjinietl pic e of silver paper that once covered some cf the indispensable chocolate. Ten minutes later thev land aga.'n in thefr aerodrome, and the camera an 1 box of plates are borne away by a waiting m chenie fur the latter to be developed and printed. "Quite n nice trip, eh?" mvs Jimmy. elambo t n.j out of bis seat "I spott d that 'Archio' battery firing, and we'll ret some ol our own back for this some nine." examining a> broken strut, and torn fabric of one plane. "Did you really? (-cod work. lie slnll get jt hot ■.,■ me day. Xow come and have Mime lunch,'' and they stroll elf to the mes i nga n. Three-quarters of an linur later an exultant Jimmy rushes into the antorooi'i where bis pilot is rervHir: the twr>-days-old paper. "The CO. is horribly bucked up with vouv efforts, old man. Jolly good s 't of pictures."