IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1916, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

BRITISH AEROPLANES BEATENA GERMAN GAIN, London, .Tan. 14, Tlio Germans claim that they have brought down ten British aeroplanes on the West front in the nioiith. It i„ possible the success is due. to the new Foccer monoplane of ISO horse-power, with a speed of 112 miles an hour. It is able to soar 8000 ft. in ten minutes, and carries only a pilot and two machine-guns.

BRITAIN'S NEW BIPLANE, A WONDERFUL INVENTION. Something of what the Royal Aircraft Factory is accomplishing in tn-?. construction of aeroplanes is described by .Mr. Selmer Fougner in the New York San. Mr. Fougner .was permitted to make a tour of the Government factory, and injoyed a flight in the newest and most powerful British aeroplane. In Ilia article, which is quoted by the Evomvig News, Mr. Fougner says: "Formerly aeroplanes in England were made by the dozen, now they are made by hundreds. Great sections of the English eountryBide have been turned over completely to the training and practice of flying men; huge works previously engaged in the manufacture of automobiles are now turning out aeroplanes, and vast armies of men and women devote night and day to making the various parts entering into the construction of the latest models. All these things I have seen at close range, and they convey but a faint idea of the marvellous progress that is being made. After seeing the factories I was granted the privilege of making an ascent in. the latest British 'Army biplane—the first civilian to whom such a trip has been granted. Were I permitted to describe the unequalled features of this mavhinc it would astonish the world. It must suffice to say that it achieves better results in speed and climbing ability than any previous model; it is fitted with I A GUN OF MARVELLOUS PRE- I CISION,

and is built to carry a death-dealing projectile more than twice the size and weight of any missile known to have been carried, even on Zeppelins, Through raging winds and in the biting cold of a November evening, the machine took us soaring through clouds at tremendous speed, yet answering perfectly to the touch of its youthful pilot. Sitting in the observer's seat, I had at no time the slightest cause for anxiety, despite the gale and the fast on-coming dark.ncss. Not a tremor did I perceive beyond the roar of the motor, so Wonderfully stable is this 'cur. The yacc at which we ascended worked out ill almost 1000 ft per minute. We encircled the surrounding country at a great height, and then descended gracefully. It was the dclightfullcsl experience of n lifetime. In an automobile 1 was taken td one of the largest training camps, where officers of the Flying Corps invalided home from the front spend their convalescence instructing beginners in the art of flying. Machines of every make are employed—the graceful British Avro, the heavier French Farman, and the neat and practical American. Curtiss. Scores of machines arc in use, and. flights are made in all weathers. Tn other sections of the camp instruction is given in aeroplane construction and the operation of motors. Repairs to damaged machines are made on the spot. No pupil, man or officer, can become a pilot before possessing a thorough knowledge of every part of the machine. There is a tremendous waiting list of CANDIDATES FOR THE FLYING SERVICE,

'both for the War Office and the Admiralty. At the camp one saw some famous airmen of the war, who were devoting their hard-earned leave t° helping pupils. In the manufactory I saw the making of the parts of the new biplane in which I flew. The newer models cmbody, one might almost say, hundreds of inventions the secrets of which are held by the -British War OfSree. As an indication of the scale on which the manufacture is carried on, one department alone, which confines itself to turning out tools for ukc in other branches, employs some hundreds of men. The Koyal Aircraft Factory is now a veritable city, equipped with every modern improvement and engaging the activities of thousands of men and women. In the designing room 150 engineers are continually busy. Seven times as many flying machines as Great Britain possessed at the beginning of the war have been turned out. and the output has been twice doubled during the past four months. Meanwhile new works are being erected on all sides, and every nerve is being strained to increase the number of machines available."