aeroplanes and dirigibles of war-第15部分

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

beyond　the　outposts。



The　procedure　is　to　instruct　the　flier　either　to　carry　out　his

observations　of　the　territory　generally；　or　to　report　at　length

upon　a　specified　stretch　of　country。　　In　the　latter　event　he　may

fly　to　and　fro　over　the　area　in　question　until　he　has　acquired

all　the　data　it　is　possible　to　collect。　　His　work　not　only

comprises　the　general　disposition　of　troops；　defences；　placing　of

artillery；　points　where　reserves　are　being　held；　high…roads；

railways；　base　camps；　and　so　forth；　but　he　is　also　instructed　to

bring　back　as　correct　an　idea　as　possible　of　what　the　enemy

proposes　to　do；　so　that　his　Commander…in…Chief　may　adjust　his

moves　accordingly。　　In　order　to　perform　this　task　with　the

requisite　degree　of　thoroughness　it　is　often　necessary　for　the

airman　to　remain　in　the　air　for　several　hours　continuously；　not

returning；　in　fact；　until　he　has　completed　the　allotted　duty。



The　airman　engaged　in　strategical　aerial　reconnaissance　must

possess；　above　all　things；　what　is　known　as　a　〃military〃　eye

concerning　the　country　he　traverses。　　He　must　form　tolerably

correct　estimates　of　the　forces　beneath　and　their　character。　　He

must　possess　the　ability　to　read　a　map　rapidly　as　he　moves

through　the　air　and　to　note　upon　it　all　information　which　is

likely　to　be　of　service　to　the　General　Staff。　　The　ability　to

prepare　military　sketches　rapidly　and　intelligibly　is　a　valuable

attribute；　and　skill　in　aerial　photography　is　a　decidedly　useful

acquisition。



Such　men　must　be　of　considerable　stamina；　inasmuch　as　great

demands　are　made　upon　their　powers　of　endurance。　　Being　aloft　for

several　hours　imposes　a　severe　tax　upon　the　nervous　system；　while

it　must　also　be　borne　in　mind　that　all　sorts　and　conditions　of

weather　are　likely　to　be　encountered；　more　particularly　during

the　winter。　　Hail；　rain；　and　blizzards　may　be　experienced　in

turn；　while　the　extreme　cold　which　often　prevails　in　the　higher

altitudes　during　the　winter　season　is　a　fearful　enemy　to　combat。　

Often　an　airman　upon　his　return　from　such　a　reconnaissance　has

been　discovered　to　be　so　numbed　and　dazed　as　a　result　of　the

prolonged　exposure；　that　considerable　time　has　elapsed　before　he

has　been　sufficiently　restored　to　set　forth　the　results　of　his

observations　in　a　coherent；　intelligible　manner　for　the　benefit

of　the　General　Staff。　　Under　these　circumstances　it　is　not

surprising　that　the　most　skilful　and　experienced　aviators　are

generally　reserved　for　this　particular　work。　　In　addition　to　the

natural　accidents　to　which　the　strategical　aerial　observer　is

exposed；　the　dangers　arising　from　hostile　gun…fire　must　not　be

overlooked。　　He　is　manoeuvring　the　whole　time　over　the　enemy's

firing　zone；　where　anti…aircraft　weapons　are　disposed

strategically；　and　where　every　effort　is　made　by　artillery　to

bring　him　down；　or　compel　him　to　repair　to　such　a　height　as　to

render　observation　with　any　degree　of　accuracy　well…nigh

impossible。



The　methods　practised　by　the　German　aerial　scout　vary　widely；　and

are　governed　in　no　small　measure　by　the　intrepidity　and　skill　of

the　airman　himself。　　One　practice　is　to　proceed　alone　upon　long

flights　over　the　enemy's　lines；　penetrating　just　as　far　into

hostile　territory　as　the　pilot　considers　advisable；　and　keeping；

of　course；　within　the　limits　of　the　radius　of　action　of　the

machine；　as　represented　by　the　fuel　supply；　the　while　carefully

taking　mental　stock　of　all　that　he　observes　below。　　It　is　a　kind

of　roving　commission　without　any　definite　aim　in　view　beyond　the

collection　of　general　intelligence。



This　work；　while　productive　and　valuable　to　a　certain　degree；　is

attended　with　grave　danger；　as　the　German　airmen　have　repeatedly

found　to　their　cost。　　Success　is　influenced　very　materially　by

the　accuracy　of　the　airman's　judgment。　　A　slight　miscalculation

of　the　velocity　and　direction　of　the　wind；　or　failure　to　detect

any　variations　in　the　climatic　conditions；　is　sufficient　to　prove

his　undoing。　　German　airmen　who　essayed　journeys　of　discovery　in

this　manner；　often　failed　to　regain　their　lines　because　they

ventured　too　far；　misjudged　the　speed　of　the　wind　which　was

following　them　on　the　outward　run；　and　ultimately　were　forced　to

earth　owing　to　the　exhaustion　of　the　fuel　supply　during　the

homeward　trip；　the　increased　task　imposed　upon　the　motor；　which

had　to　battle　hard　to　make　headway；　caused　the　fuel　consumption

per　mile　to　exceed　calculations。



Then　the　venturesome　airman　cannot　neglect　another　factor　which

is　adverse　to　his　success。　　Hostile　airmen　lie　in　wait；　and　a

fleet　of　aeroplanes　is　kept　ready　for　instant　service。　　They

permit　the　invader　to　penetrate　well　into　their　territory　and

then　ascend　behind　him　to　cut　off　his　retreat。　　True；　the　invader

has　the　advantage　of　being　on　the　wing；　while　the　ether　is　wide

and　deep；　without　any　defined　channels　of　communication。　　But　

nine　times　out　of　ten　the　adventurous　scout　is　trapped。　　His

chances　of　escape　are　slender；　because　his　antagonists　dispose

themselves　strategically　in　the　air。　　The　invader　outpaces　one；

but　in　so　doing　comes　within　range　of　another。　　He　is　so　harassed

that　he　either　has　to　give　fight；　or；　finding　his　retreat

hopelessly　cut　off；　he　makes　a　determined　dash；　trusting　to　his

high　speed　to　carry　him　to　safety。　　In　these　driving　tactics　the

French　and　British　airmen　have　proved　themselves　adepts；　more

particularly　the　latter；　as　the　chase　appeals　to　their　sporting

instincts。　　There　is　nothing　so　exhilarating　as　a　quarry　who

displays　a　determination　to　run　the　gauntlet。



The　roving　Teuton　scout　was　considerably　in　evidence　in　the　early

days　of　the　war；　but　two　or　three　weeks'　experience　emphasised

the　sad　fact　that；　in　aerial　strategy；　he　was　hopelessly

outmatched　by　his　opponents。　　His　advantage　of　speed　was

nullified　by　the　superior　tactical　and　strategical　acumen　of　his

antagonists；　the　result　being　that　the　German　airman；　who　has

merely　been　trained　along　certain　lines；　who　is　in　many　cases

nothing　more　than　a　cog…wheel　in　a　machine；　and　who　is

proverbially　slow…witted；　has　concluded　that　he　is　no　match　for

the　airmen　of　the　Allies。　　He　found　from　bitter　experience　that

nothing　afforded　the　Anglo…French　military　aviators　such　keen

delight　as　to　lie　in　wait　for　a　〃rover；〃　and　then　to　swoop　into

the　air　to　round　him　up。



The　proportion　of　these　individual　scouts　who　were　either　brought

down；　or　only　just　succeeded　in　reaching　safety　within　their　own

lines；　and　who　were　able　to　exhibit　serious　wounds　as　evidence　of

the　severity　of　the　aerial　tussle；　or　the　narrowness　of　the

escape；　has　unnerved　the　Teuton　airmen　as　a　body　to　a　very

considerable　extent。　　Often；　even　when　an　aeroplane　descended

within　the　German　lines；　it　was　found　that　the　roving　airman　had

paid　the　penalty　for　his　rashness　with　his　life；　so　that　his

journey　had　proved　in　vain；　because　all　the　intelligence　he　had

gained　had　died　with　him；　or；　if　committed　to　paper；　was　so

unintelligible　as　to　prove　useless。



It　was　the　success　of　the　British　airmen　in　this　particular　field

of　duty　which　was　responsible　for　the　momentous　declaration　in

Field…Marshal　Sir　John　French's　famous　despatch：〃The　British

Flying　Corps　has　succeeded　in　establishing　an　individual

ascendancy；　which　is　as　serviceable　to　us　as　it　is　damaging　to

the　enemy　。　。　。　。　The　enemy　have　been　less　enterprising　in

their　flights。　　Something　in　the　direction　of　the　mastery　of　the

air　has　already　been　gained。〃



The　methods　of　the　British　airmen　are　in　vivid　contrast　to　the

practice　of　the　venturesome　Teuton　aerial　rovers　described　above。　

While　individual　flights　are　undertaken　they　are　not　of　unknown

duration　or　mileage。　　The　man　is　given　a　definite　duty　to　perform

and　he　ascends　merely　to　fulfil　it；　returning　with　the

information　at　the　earliest　possible　moment。　　It　is　aerial

scouting　with　a　method。　　The　intelligence　is　required　and

obtained　for　a　specific　purpose；　to　govern　a　contemplated　move　in

the　grim　game　of　war。



Even　then　the　flight　is　often　undertaken　by　two　or　more　airmen

for　the　purpose　of　checking　and　counterchecking　information

gained；　or　to　ensure　such　data　being　brought　back　to

headquarters；　since　it　is　quite　possible　that　one　of　the　party

may　fall　a　victim　to　hostile　fire。　　By　operating　upon　these

lines　there　is　very　little　likelihood　of　the　mission　proving

a　complete　failure。　　Even　when　raids　upon　certain　places

such　as　Dusseldorf；　Friedrichshafen　or　Cuxhaven　are　planned；

complete　dependence　is　not　placed　on　one　individual。　　The　machine

is　accompanied；　so　that　the　possibility　of　the　appointed　task

being　consummated　is　transformed　almost　into　a　certainty。



The　French　flying　men　work　upon　broadly　similar　lines。　　Their

fleet　is　divided　into　small　squadrons　each　numbering　four；　six；

or　more　machines；　according　to　the　nature　of　the　contemplated

task。　　Each　airman　is　given　an　area　of　territory　which　is　to　be

reconnoitred　thoroughly。　　In　this　way　perhaps　one　hundred　or　more

miles　of　the　enemy's　front　are　searched　for　information　at　one

and　the　same　time。　　The　units　of　the　squadron　start　out；　each

taking　the　appointed　direction　according　to　the　preconceived

plan；　and　each　steering　by　the　aid　of　compass　and　map。　　They　are

urged　to　complete　the　work　with　all　speed　and　to　return　to　a

secret　rendezvous。



Later　the　air　is　alive　with　the　whirring　of　motors。　　The　machines

are　coming　back　and　all　converging　to　one　point。　　They　vol…plane

to　the　earth　and　gracefully　settle　down　within　a　short　distance

of　each　other　at　the　rendezvous。　　The　pilots　collect　and　each

relates　the　intelligence　he　has　gained。　　The　data　are　collated

and　in　this　manner　the　General　Staff　is　able　to　learn　exactly

what　is　transpiring　over　a　long　stretch　of　the　hostile　lines；　and

a　considerable　distance　to　the　rear　of　his　advance　works。