The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1917. AERIAL DEVELOPMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 April 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, APRIL 14, 1917. AERIAL DEVELOPMENT.

One of the most striking features of the war is the rapid development of the aeroplane. Before the war the machine was far from perfect. In the main, the Germans had in their Taube a superior machine to the Allies, that is, a machine better suited for reconnaissance work. And they had a great many more of them than the Allies, who, consequently, were just as much at a disadvantage in the early stages of the war in this respect is in other ways. The Allies set out to produce a machine to beat the Taube. They succeeded, and

for several months our aviators on the Western front held practically undis-

puted sway. Then at about this time last year the Germans brought out the Fokker which by reason of its swiftness and versatility, soon established an ascendancy over our machines, a large proportion of which came to grief. Ho«I ever, the lead established by the enemy was not held for long. The inventive brains of France and Britain soon evolved a machine that could do all the Fokker did, and more. By the time the Somme offensive commenced, the Allies were virtually in command of the air, and thus were able to render the armies signal service. But the Germans have I evidently been improving their machines during the winter months, and are now combating the Allies' aviators in a way that has caused alarm among the timid. The Germans claimed that in the course of what was termed a strong aerial reconnaissance the Anglo-French had lost in the one day's operations no fewer than forty-four machines. Questions were asked in the House of Commons, but the most effective reply was given by Sir Douglas Haig a day or two afterwards, when he said that on the occasion in question twenty-eight machines were last, but that considering the number of machines employed the losses were very light. Extensive raids and reconnaissances were carried out, and the enemy's battle planes had every opportunity of attacking. Numerous fights in the air occurred, spme of them between large formations! but the point to remember is that the battles were fought behind I the German; lines, in many cases far Ijwluael &e luus. wiilrt wwliwliz n.s> ,» - \

German machines were brought down on the British front. Sir Douglas Haig records that the activities of the fighting machines covered a reconnaissance of a wide tract of territory, and that no fewer than seventeen hundred photo, graphs of the enemy's trenches, dumps, camps and lines of communications were secured. The result was plainly worth the sacrifice of twenty-eight machines, and Indeed the price may be considered trifling for such a mas? of invaluable information. It was authoritatively stated that the rumors that British aircraft were outclassed by the Germans were unfounded, since our service was liable to heavy losses because it was doing specially heavy work behind the enemy*o lines. Everything possible, it was added, was being done to augment the supply of the latest aircraft. The explanation is simple and convincing. We arc tailing unusual risks for a. great object. We now see the fruits in the British sledge-hammer b'ows over a front of forty odd miles, from Lens to St. Quentin. The machines not only are serving Mie uunners, but carrying the war right into the enemy's camp by bombing munition depots, railway centres, supply trains, and the reinforcements that are being hurried up. When we receive the full story of the doings of our Intrepid aviators during this push it will assuredly make exciting reading. Mr. Beach Thomas gives us an insight. The machines, he says, possess the most breathless speed, swishing past bird-like or ?lying at viewless heights until one dives, winged, for its own lines. The machines drop from the clouds plum-met-like 16,000 feet to bomb a train, fire a balloon or riddle troops with machine guns. They come so quickly that men on the spot with loaded rifles are too slow to tire before the plane is out of range. Both sides, adds the correspondent, exhibit uncanny skill in ambushing or escaping amongst the clouds. Mr. Thomas also affirms that our machines can hold their own with the enemy's. One British machine destroyed five enemy planes in one light, It cannot be behind the German plane in efficiency when a feat like this can bo recorded. But, like everything else, success does not depend upon the machine altogether —it depends as much upon the man behind it. The air service haß attracted some of the finest men in the Empire, and they are capable of holding their own with the best the Germans can produce. As for improving the fighting capacity of the machine, we have so far been equal to.the task, and there is little question but that we will not fail now. It is unfortunate to lose our dashing aviators, but it Is part of the price we have to pay for victory. We must expect to lose more heavily as the fighting becomes more intense, as it must from now on. We are striking the enemy harder than ever we have done.

but that we have reached our maximum effort there is no reason to believe. We are attacking on a front of forty-miles now; we may at any time now be attacking on a front of HO miles in eonjunction with the French. And witli the extended lighting our aerial los-es must be proportionately heavier, but the result no doubt will be worth the sacrifice.