aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



there　is　every　indication　that　the　conflict　upon　the　Continent

will　represent　a　distinctive　epoch　in　aeroplane　design　and

construction。　　Many　problems　still　await　solution；　such　as　the

capacity　to　hover　over　a　position；　and　it　is　quite　possible

that　these　complex　and　baffling　questions　will　be　settled

definitely　as　the　result　of　operations　in　the　field。　　The

aeroplane　has　reached　a　certain　stage　of　evolution：　further

progress　is　virtually　impossible　unless　something　revolutionary

is　revealed；　perfected；　and　brought　to　the　practical　stage。







CHAPTER　VIII

SCOUTING　FROM　THE　SKIES



From　the　moment　when　human　flight　was　lifted　from　the　rut　of

experiment　to　the　field　of　practical　application；　many　theories；

interesting　and　illuminating；　concerning　the　utility　of　the

Fourth　Arm　as　a　military　unit　were　advanced。　　The　general

consensus　of　expert　opinion　was　that　the　flying　machine　would　be

useful　to　glean　information　concerning　the　movements　of　an　enemy；

rather　than　as　a　weapon　of　offence。



The　war　is　substantiating　this　argument　very　completely。　

Although　bomb…dropping　is　practised　somewhat　extensively；　the

results　achieved　are　rather　moral　than　material　in　their　effects。　

Here　and　there　startling　successes　have　been　recorded　especially

upon　the　British　side；　but　these　triumphs　are　outnumbered　by　the

failures　in　this　direction；　and　merely　serve　to　emphasise　the

views　of　the　theorists。



The　argument　was　also　advanced　that；　in　this　particular　work；　the

aeroplane　would　prove　more　valuable　than　the　dirigible；　but

actual　campaigning　has　proved　conclusively　that　the　dirigible　and

the　heavier…than…air　machines　have　their　respective　fields　of

utility　in　the　capacity　of　scouts。　　In　fact　in　the　very　earliest

days　of　the　war；　the　British　airships；　though　small　and　slow　in

movement；　proved　more　serviceable　for　this　duty　than　their

dynamic　consorts。　　This　result　was　probably　due　to　the　fact　that

military　strategy　and　tactics　were　somewhat　nonplussed　by　the

appearance　of　this　new　factor。　　At　the　time　it　was　an　entirely

unknown　quantity。　　It　is　true　that　aircraft　had　been　employed　in

the　Balkan　and　the　Italo…Ottoman　campaigns；　but　upon　such　a

limited　scale　as　to　afford　no　comprehensive　idea　of　their

military　value　and　possibilities。



The　belligerents；　therefore；　were　caught　somewhat　at　a

disadvantage；　and　an　appreciable　period　of　time　elapsed　before

the　significance　of　the　aerial　force　could　be　appreciated；　while

means　of　counter　acting　or　nullifying　its　influences　had　to　be

evolved　simultaneously；　and　according　to　the　exigencies　of　the

moment。　　At　all　events；　the　protagonists　were　somewhat　loth　to

utilise　the　dirigible　upon　an　　elaborate　scale　or　in　an

aggressive　manner。　　It　was　employed　more　after　the　fashion　of　a

captive　balloon；　being　sent　aloft　from　a　point　well　behind　the

front　lines　of　the　force　to　which　it　was　attached；　and　well　out

of　the　range　of　hostile　guns。　　Its　　manoeuvres　were　somewhat

circumscribed；　and　were　carried　out　at　a　safe　distance　from　the

enemy；　dependence　being　placed　upon　the　advantages　of　an

elevated　position　for　the　gathering　of　information。



But　as　the　campaign　progressed；　the　airships　became　more　daring。　

Their　ability　to　soar　to　a　great　height　offered　them　complete

protection　against　gun…fire；　and　accordingly　sallies　over　the

hostile　lines　were　carried　out。　　But　even　here　a　certain

hesitancy　became　manifest。　　This　was　perfectly　excusable；　for　the

simple　reason　that　the　dirigible；　above　all；　is　a　fair…weather

craft；　and　disasters；　which　had　overtaken　these　vessels　time

after　time；　rendered　prudence　imperative。　　Moreover；　but　little

was　known　of　the　range　and　destructiveness　of　anti…aircraft　guns。



In　the　duty　of　reconnoitring　the　dirigible　possesses　one　great

advantage　over　its　heavier…than…air　rival。　　It　can　remain

virtually　stationary　in　the　air；　the　propellers　revolving　at　just

sufficient　speed　to　off…set　the　wind　and　tendencies　to　drift。　　In

other　words；　it　has　the　power　of　hovering　over　a　position；

thereby　enabling　the　observers　to　complete　their　task　carefully

and　with　deliberation。



On　the　other　hand；　the　means　of　enabling　an　aeroplane　to　hover

still　remain　to　be　discovered。　　It　must　travel　at　a　certain　speed

through　the　air　to　maintain　its　dynamic　equilibrium；　and　this

speed　is　often　too　high　to　enable　the　airman　to　complete　his

reconnaissance　with　sufficient　accuracy　to　be　of　value　to　the

forces　below。　　All　that　the　aeroplane　can　do　is　to　circle　above　a

certain　position　until　the　observer　is　satisfied　with　the　data　he

has　collected。



But　hovering　on　the　part　of　the　dirigible　is　not　without

conspicuous　drawbacks。　　The　work　of　observation　cannot　be

conducted　with　any　degree　of　accuracy　at　an　excessive　altitude。　

Experience　has　proved　that　the　range　of　the　latest　types　of　anti…

aircraft　weapons　is　in　excess　of　anticipations。　　The　result　is

that　the　airship　is　useless　when　hovering　beyond　the　zone　of

fire。　　The　atmospheric　haze；　even　in　the　clearest　weather；

obstructs　the　observer's　vision。　　The　caprices　of　this　obstacle

are　extraordinary；　as　anyone　who　has　indulged　in　ballooning

knows　fully　well。　　On　a　clear　summer's　day　I　have　been　able　to

see　the　ground　beneath　with　perfect　distinctness　from　a　height　of

4；500　feet；　yet　when　the　craft　had　ascended　a　further　two　or

three　hundred　feet；　the　panorama　was　blurred。　　A　film　of　haze

lies　between　the　balloon　and　the　ground　beneath。　　And　the

character　of　this　haze　is　continually　changing；　so　that　the

aerial　observer's　task　is　rendered　additionally　difficult。　　Its

effects　are　particularly　notice　able　when　one　attempts　to

photograph　the　view　unfolded　below。　　Plate　after　plate　may　be

exposed　and　nothing　will　be　revealed。　　Yet　at　a　slightly　lower

altitude　the　plates　may　be　exposed　and　perfectly　sharp　and

well…defined　images　will　be　obtained。



Seeing　that　the　photographic　eye　is　keener　and　more　searching

than　the　human　organ　of　sight；　it　is　obvious　that　this　haze

constitutes　a　very　formidable　obstacle。　　German　military

observers；　who　have　accompanied　the　Zeppelins　and　Parsevals　on

numerous　aerial　journeys　under　varying　conditions　of　weather；

have　repeatedly　drawn　attention　to　this　factor　and　its　caprices；

and　have　not　hesitated　to　venture　the　opinion　that　it　would

interfere　seriously　with　military　aerial　reconnaissances；　and

also　that　it　would　tend　to　render　such　work　extremely　hazardous

at　times。



When　these　conditions　prevail　the　dirigible　must　carry　out　its

work　upon　the　broad　lines　of　the　aeroplane。　　It　must　descend　to

the　level　where　a　clear　view　of　the　ground　may　be　obtained；　and

in　the　interests　of　safety　it　has　to　keep　on　the　move。　　To

attempt　to　hover　within　4；000　feet　of　the　ground　is　to　court

certain　disaster；　inasmuch　as　the　vessel　offers　a　magnificent　and

steady　target　which　the　average　gunner；　equipped　with　the　latest

sighting　devices　and　the　most　recent　types　of　guns；　scarcely

could　fail　to　hit。



But　the　airman　in　the　aeroplane　is　able　to　descend　to　a

comparatively　low　level　in　safety。　　The　speed　and　mobility　of　his

machine　constitute　his　protection。　　He　can　vary　his　altitude；

perhaps　only　thirty　or　forty　feet；　with　ease　and　rapidity；　and

this　erratic　movement　is　more　than　sufficient　to　perplex　the

marksmen　below；　although　the　airman　is　endangered　if　a　rafale　is

fired　in　such　a　manner　as　to　cover　a　wide　zone。



Although　the　aeroplane　may　travel　rapidly　it　is　not　too　fleet　for

a　keen　observer　who　is　skilled　in　his　peculiar　task。　　He　may　only

gather　a　rough　idea　of　the　disposition　of　troops；　their

movements；　the　lines　of　communication；　and　other　details　which

are　indispensable　to　his　commander；　but　in　the　main　the

intelligence　will　be　fairly　accurate。　　Undulating　flight　enables

him　to　determine　speedily　the　altitude　at　which　he　is　able　to

obtain　the　clearest　views　of　the　country　beneath。　　Moreover；

owing　to　his　speed　he　is　able　to　complete　his　task　in　far　less

time　than　his　colleague　operating　in　the　dirigible；　the　result

being　that　the　information　placed　at　the　disposal　of　his　superior

officers　is　more　to　the　moment；　and　accordingly　of　greater　value。



Reconnoitring　by　aeroplane　may　be　divided　into　two　broad

categories；　which；　though　correlated　to　a　certain　degree；　are

distinctive；　because　each　constitutes　a　specific　phase　in

military　operations。　　They　are　known　respectively　as　〃tactical〃

and　〃strategical〃　movements。　　The　first　is　somewhat　limited　in

its　scope　as　compared　with　the　latter；　and　has　invariably　to　be

carried　out　rapidly；　whereas　the　strategical　reconnaissance　may

occupy　several　hours。



The　tactical　reconnaissance　concerns　the　corps　or　divisional

commander　to　which　the　warplane　is　attached；　and　consequently　its

task　is　confined　to　the　observation　of　the　line　immediately

facing　the　particular　corps　or　division。　　The　aviator　does　not

necessarily　penetrate　beyond　the　lines　of　the　enemy；　but；　as　a

rule　limits　his　flight　to　some　distance　from　his　outermost

defences。　　The　airman　must　possess　a　quick　eye；　because

his　especial　duty　is　to　note　the　disposition　of　the　troops

immediately　facing　him；　the　placing　of　the　artillery；　and　any

local　movements　of　the　forces　that　may　be　in　progress。　

Consequently　the　aviator　engaged　on　this　service　may　be　absent

from　his　lines　for　only　a　few　minutes；　comparatively　speaking；

the　intelligence　he　acquires　must　be　speedily　communicated　to　the

force　to　which　he　is　attached；　because　it　may　influence　a　local

movement。



The　strategical　reconnaissance；　on　the　other　hand；　affects　the

whole　plan　of　campaign。　　The　aviators　told　off　for　this　duty　are

attached　to　the　staff　of　the　Commander…in…Chief；　and　the　work　has

to　be　carried　out　upon　a　far　more　comprehensive　and　elaborate

scale；　while　the　airmen　are　called　upon　to　penetrate　well　into

the　hostile　territory　to　a　point　thirty；　forty；　or　more　miles

beyond　the　o