IN THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1916, Page 5

IN THE AIR.

INTREPID AVIATOR. PURSUIT OF A SEAPLANE. Received April 8, 5.5 p.m. London, April 7. The Press Bureau gives details of flight-Commander Bone's exploit. He did not attempt to climb steeply, but kept the enemy in sight. When they were nearly thirty miles away the superior climb of his machine enabled him to attain an altitude of nine thousand feet, .two thousand feet above the enemy, and from thence onward lie was rapidiy overhauling it, firing his machine-gun. The enemy replied vigorously, but Bone manoeuvred ahead and steered straight at the enemy, diving to pass below, but he turned vertically on the right hand, and almost immediately under him the German machine was turned by the pilot slightly to the left. Before'they met, the observer was visible hanging over the right side of the machine, either dead or severely wounded. (A London cable of March 19 said:— Four German seaplanes flew over Deal, Dover, Eamsgate, Margate, and Westgate to-day. The casualties were: Killed, 3 men and 1 woman, and 5 children; injured, 17 men, 5 women, and 9 children. Altogether 4S bombs were dropped. Material damage was done to several houses. Flight-Commander Bone, in a single-seater aeroplane, pursued one of tiie German seaplanes thirty miles out to sea, whore, after a quarter of an hour's action, the enemy was forced to descend, the observer being killed. Flight-Commander Bone, who is 27, is a lieutenant in the navy, and spent four years in the submarine service and two years as an aviator. His machine outstripped the others and returned unharmed.) ■ « BULLY FOR BRANDON! i FURTHER DETAILS OF HIS FEAT. Received April 9, 5,5 p.m. London, April S. Details of Brandon's exploit show that lie left the aerodrome with orders to patrol at bis discretion where enemy aircraft were expected. He sighted his quarry and c-liased it, driving his machine "all out." He lost sight of the airship, but finally resighted it at his own level of six thousand feet. He rose four hundred feet above and rounded tne Zeppelin. He sharply turned over the top and liberated three bombs at one sweep, and he heard three distinct detonations at the rear of the airship. The Zeppelin fired round after round from its machine-guns, and Brandon felt the bullets Jilt his machine, but he was determined to have another shot. He saw spirks emitting f.coin the Zeppelin's sijjjni, and so he flew towards her bow and dropped more explosives, despite the heavy machine-gun fire. The Zeppelin wag lost in the darkness, GERMAN CLAIMS. OF MUCH DAMAGE. Received April 9, 5.5 p.m. Amsterdam, April S. A German communique claims that naval airships on Wednesday night destroyed jarge ironworks near Whitby, titer previously putting out of action a battery north'of Hull. It says that they also attaekeed factories at Leeds, and a, number of railway station, in an indusrial district, The airships returned undamaged.

THE LATEST ZEPPELINS. SILENT AND INVISIBLE. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, April 7. The latest Zeppelins are almost invisible, as the result of German experiments, and searchlights find increasing difficulty in picking them up. When discovered they endeavor to elude the searchlights by rising rapidly. The Times says that country correspondents agree that the latest Zeppelins have decreased in noisiness, indicating that the persistent efforts to silence the engines are becoming more successful. THREE ZEPPELINS DAMAGED. Amsterdam, April 7. Reports state that British coast batteries seriously damaged three Zeppelins during Wednesday night's raid. KAISER PLANS RAIDS. COLOGNE GAZETTE AGAIN. Times and Sydney Sun Services. London, April 7. The Cologne Gazette, says that the series of air raids on England is due to a conversation between the Kaiser and Count Zeppelin, who was recently summoned to headquarters. The Gazette regrets the loss of LIS, and adds that England only saved the crew because she was afraid to repeat the shameful act of the trawler King Stephen, whose captain refused to take off the crew of Ll9 when it was found floating in the North Sea, RAID ON ISONZO. BY AUSTRIAN AEROPLANES. Received April 9, 5.5 p.m\ ._-■■" Rome, .tpril 8. A comnvuhlque says: Seven aeroplanes, on Thursday night, raided Isonzo. Our aviators attacked ,thejn in the darkness, iaSfflftW twg, " " "'"'