Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1912-10-24

AERoPIA1Ny cSc0UzZ7Vd~

maintain and the heights to which they ascend
give them tremendous advantage.
THE army aeroplane which the United States
expects to depend upon in case OF hostile dem
onstrations will carry $500 rounds Of ammuni.
ton, which 1t may discharge at the rate Of 500
a minute, II can travel 104 miles an hour.
carry enough fuel to 60 400 miles. stay up IN
hours and climb to an altitude of l2,S2S feet.
That is what has been done, and what aero
planes have done they can do again.
Then the army. like the navy, expects to
make good use Of the hydro-aeroplane, which
may alight upon, skim through and fly from the
water readily as II does from land, and from
plowed land as well from level ground. Its
use would be mostly for observation OF the en-
envy at long distances.
What models are we now usng?"
We'll, We have only Wright. Curtiss and Bur.
CESS Wright machines at present but when the
money is forthcoming 1t is likely that Will
purchase some of the best OF the foreign ma
chimes Should the necessity arise the United
States would certainly acquire the best products
OF modern invention to the complement of her
own supply
Our present trouble is already have more
machines than we have officers competent to
handle them. We must have more men who
are qualified to fill the requirements exacted for
this work.
Successful aviation is scientific problem
which, like every other wonderful achievement
is only a success after each detail is perfectly
worked out The first great ESSENTIAL In the
practical use of aviation in military tactics lies
In the necessity for safety In flying.
What would be the use of the government
spending money to train officers and soldiers
to the fine point necessary for successful airmen
only to have them meet mishap and death to
say nothing Of the losses through the destruc-
ton Of valuable machines representing the out
lay OF thousands Of dollars, Flying may be, will
be, as safe any other mode OF travel
This is one OF the problems which our gov.
eminent experts are working upon now. They
have already settled upon automatic arrange
ments which should materially lessen the num-
Der OF mishaps and fatalities II is the unex-
pected which happens, taking a man of his
guard for an instant, which experience and study
will avert"
General Allen believes that the requirements
for an army aviator include physical perfection.
Only commissioned officers Of the army and mi.
litia need apply and before they can be admit.
ted to any OF the aviation schools they must
pass a rigorous physical examination.
To forecast what the war OF the future may
mean 1t Is only necessary to look over the field
Of modern invention In the production OF death.
dealing weapons.
Battles will be fought in the clouds with ma.
chine rifles which throw out streams OF bullets
aerial torpedoes which may be released by
levers strapped to the feet OF the aviator bombs
of powerful explosive which can tear men and
horses to bits and the German aero guns which
send down brittle bombs containing $50 pounds
of chemicals that upon exploding All the atmos.
phere with poisonous gases calculated to kill
every living thing within 500 yards
To overcome the disadvantages OF the dark
ness there Is an electrically controlled search
light which may be suspended hundreds OF feet
below the airship and thus illuminate for a brief
time the area Of attack Thus the fying artIl-
leryman may see just where he wants his fire
to strike. while he remains safe in his iron mr.
steel sheathed ship high above the danger ~
being seen or hit. Then there is bomb which
leaves trail OF smoke by day and a line Of
fire at night to mark its course
For disabling aeros from the ground there "a
the American automobile gun, said to be able
to discharge 100000 bullets an hour reouirinp
but two men to handle 1t and performing the
work OF thirty regiments besides MANY otbera
for vertical firing. The Japanese have moi,
sonous gas filled bomb which will explode and
Ill the air with fumes guaranteed to overcome
any airmen within 100 yards OF its explosion
According to some strategists the next war
VIM NC thl dSheu oul largely DV alrSniDS and
probably in semi-darkness In the late twilight
Of evenings and in the gray dawn the a,rsbins
will come forth from their sheds and hangars m
pursue their stealthy flights OF observation and
destruction
With the twinkling lights OF the campares
81 the enemy, the solitary signals Of approach.
ng ships or the vague black shapes Of the scat.
cred houses in some sleeping village all omen
% their observation they swiftly and silently
steal along overhead and fire their missiles O,
destruction upon the unsuspecting enemy and
soar away out of reach before there is anv pos.
'ibi'itv of their being seen OF damaged
With the accuracy which constant tarpe,
practice gives even small feet of these instru
nents OF war can accomplish great destruction
With their dropping shells and bombs When
hese winged foes meet In contest II will be 70
he feet that is the swiftest and more daring
hat the victory will belong.