The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-10-28
Flying Machines Will be Given the
First Real Test in the Balkan War

The present war between Turkey
and the Balkan states is likely to be
notable as the first war in history to
make important use of aviation. Both
the aeroplane and the dirigible bal
loon were successfully employed in
the Italian campaign in Tripoli which
has just closed, but they were en-
ployed on only one side and they did
not materially affect the result.
work of the Italian commander, and
no doubt saved some lives which
reconnaissance would have cost, but
the European invaders enjoyed such
superiority in force, discipline and
war material that they could perfectly
well have dispensed with this most
modern adjunct of warfare. The case
is quite different in the Balkans,
ant and more difficult to use because
of the physical conditions.
In Tripoli and Cirenaica the condi-
tons were ideal and greatly helped
the Italian aviators to make a fine
record. One officer was wounded by
bullet, but returned successfully
One man was drowned while crossing
bay-if he had been using a hydro
he would have escaped unframed.
Another was compelled to descend
prematurely and was captured by the
Arabs of the deserts. These were the
only serious casualties of the air
scouts during a war that lasted a
trifie over a year. 1t is a record of
which Italy NJ justly be proud, but
it was made >ossible by favorable
climate and terrain. The winds were
usually steady and the ground along
the coast is reasonably level and in
great part fiat. The aviators were
able to find an suspicious moment
and to cover a great deal of country
satisfactorily in a brief time, wide
area being clearly exposed to their
view. The campaign being one of
careful prearranged attack on definite
points, small aerial force sufficed,
and since the Turks employed no
aeroplanes the excitement of compe-
tition was lacking and the flights
hardly differed from those made in
an ordinary aviation meet.
Adverse Conditions.
All these conditions are reversed in
the war between Turkey and the Bal
kan states. Operation will be more
difficult because not carried on from
a secure base with hangers and re-
pair shops guarded by warships. Both
sides will have to work from the field );
and the difficulty of keeping the ma
chimes in perfect working order will
be greatly increased. The ground, too
will be much less favorable. The
greater part of the peninsula is noun
famous, many of the peaks being of
the region is the great number of
little basin-like valleys, and in such
formations "airholes" are a source of
terror to aviators. The mountain de-
files-the war area includes Their
mopylae-are favorable to ambus-
cades, surprises and attacks through
roundabout passes. To guard against
such dangers aerial scouting will be
invaluable, but it will be prosecuted
under great difficulties. and among
the mountains it will be much easier
for a hostile force to hide than on
the sandy plains of Lydia. And at
the same time the risk of accident
will be much greater among the
mountains.
But on the other hand, while for the
Italians aviation was pleasant
scientific experiment, to the armies
in the Balkans it may be a matter
of life and death. The issue of the
war will depend very largely upon
the manipulation of forces, and STRAIT
egg will be very difficult both because
of the paucity of communications and
because SO many factors are involved.
Concerted action by the allies is pro-
verbally difficult; it remains to be