IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1915, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

WONDERFUL AIR CRAFT. (MASTERY OF THE WIND. WHAT BRITAIN IS DOING. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received Oct. 11, G. 5 p.m. London, Nov. 10. The unique series of visits to the Empire'*) war wonders, which was arranged for leading Dominion, Allied, and neutral journalists, has done excellent service in securing neutral press support. Last week they visited the aerodromes and aircraft factories, and saw astonishing activity and line results of the Flying Corps. Nearly a score of aerodromes are busy training pilots and observers. There are also aircraft stations filled with all kinds of machines, ready for anything, and more stations are being established. The War Office and Admiralty have practically taken over the motor industry, a.nd the output of aeroplanes is immense. It has increased sevenfold since the beginning of the war, and we will soon have double that again, at the least. In four months the output will have been quadrupled. They are of all sorts and sizes, and every model is better than the last. The problem of stability has been solved to perfection, and has given us an undoubted mastery of the air.

Some of the fighting machines are capable of doing 135 miles per hour, and the ordinary model can do 99 miles. We have air dreadnoughts and doubleended battleplanes, and are experimenting with others. The navy has separate shops, and is now experimenting with super-seaplanes, armed and armored, and carrying many passengers. A new German armored aeroplane which was seen at the Russian front was fitted with two propellers, two maxim guns, and wireless apparatus, and was «f 360 horse-power.