REWARDS FOR AVIATORS.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 219, 30 November 1916, Page 4

REWARDS FOR AVIATORS.

By bringing down his fourteenth German aeroplane Sec-Lieut. Guynemer has taken foremost place among combatant French airmen. A few weeks back the “hawk-eyed Navarre” topped the list with twelve enemy machines brought down, but Guynemer drew level, and mild excitement reigned as to which of these famous aerial hunters would succeed in outdoing the other. It is not generally known that a monetary recompense, offered by M. Michelin, of tyre fame, makes t-he “downing” of enemy aircraft quite a profitable occupation. It is said, although I cannot vouch for the figures, that £4O is the award for every first machine brought to earth, increased to £BO for the second, and so forth, pro rata. On this hypothetical basis, Guyuemer’s latest success alone must have brought him in the cosy little sum of fourteen thousand francs, or £560. With his thirteen other successes, this would mean that he has made £4,200. Navarre’s recent inactivity is due to two bullet wounds, from which he is now, however, recovering.