BIG AEROPLANES.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1918, Page 6

BIG AEROPLANES.

LONG DISTANCE FLIGHTS.

BERLIN TO BE BOMBED. The story of the flight of a big British aeroplane from London to Constantinople which was recently made public by permission of the Censor, showß how near is tbe date when aerial passenger and mai! services will become one of the commonplace features of our civilisation. Aeroplanes capable of carrying a load of several tons for distances of 'OOO to 2000 miles are now being turned out in Great Britain. They are being turned out not for peace purposes but for war, but the experience gained during the war in constructing and flying big aeroplanes will hasten considerably the establishment of aerial communication over long distances after the war is over.

Thfi machine wliicli flew from London to Constantinople is a Handlcy-Page twin tractor biplane, fitted with two Rolls-Royce engines, each of 375 horsepower. It is not possible to publish a full description of the machine as anch description would be useful to the enemy, who is also engaged in constructing big aeroplanes for aerial warfare, which is to be resumed early in 1918 on an intensive scale. But publication of tbe following particulars is permitted, ft is not a special machine, but one of a standard type now being built m large numbers. On board were five men—the pilot a second pilot, an engineer, and two mechanics. The machine carried the men's luggage, beds, two tool boxes, containing spare parts and tool 9 for the engines, a further consignment of spares, practically equivalent to one of the engines. Strapped to the machine were two propellers of four blades, lift Gin long. The weight of the machine itself Was SOOOIb, and it carried a load of (JOOOib, the total weight being over six tons

The journey started from the aerodrome at Hendon, on the northern outskirts of London. The route was to Paris, and down the Rhone Valley to Marseilles, then across the sea to Pisa and Rome, where the passengers landed, and were received by the heads of the Italian aeronautical staff. From Rome the journey was continued to Naples and Otranto, across the Adriatic to Salonika, and then on to an unnamed base, to prepare for a bombing trip to Constantinople The most difficult part of the journey was across the mountains in Albania on the way to Sionik. At times the machine almost touched the peaks as it flew through the clouds or encountered cross winds. The passengers could see Bulgarian horsemen chasing the machine, in the hope that it would come to grief. Thu base at which they prepared for the attack oh Constantinople was 250 miles from the Turkish capital. They set out at night, carrying 10 bombs, of [ 1121b each, but leaving behind the two mechanics. A flight of 2£ hours brought them to the Sea of Marmora. They reached Constantinople while flying at the low altitude of 2000 feet, in order to gf-t a good view of what was beneath them They Baw the German battle cruiser Goeben, which had taken refuge in Turkish waters early in the war They circled down round the cruiser to 800 feet, and then released four bombs. These missed the Gonben. but struck one "f two submarines that were ly'ng beside her. The aviators circled found until they again came over the Goeben, and then again dropped four Hombf Theso struck the vessel, and obviously caused considerable damage. Th» pilots then made off towards the Golden Horn, and dropped two bombs on a ship called the General, which was the headquarters of thfe German General Staff. The next target was the Turkish War Office, and two bombs were dropped on it. By Jhis time there was considerable alarm in the city and among the ships in liar* bor, and as anti-aircraft guns came into action the aviators decided to leave Ihey flew down the Sea of Marmora, pursued by Bhrapnel and explosive shells. But they reached the base safely, and found that the machine had been hit by twenty-six bullets. The obvious inference to be drawn from this flight from fondon to attack Constantinople is that during the remainder of the war bombing attacks on enemy towns will be made on an unprecedented scale by the belligerents. Ho city will be safe from aerial attack. Berlin up to the present has been immune from attack because of its distance from the British and French lines. But early in 1918 Berlin will be bombed by bio aeroplanes capable of flying 1000 miles and carrying a load of several tons of b;.mbs. The important German cities along the Rhine will be bombed, also the arsenals and munition works and the bridges across the Rhine, over which the German military traffic passes.