The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-24
Italians in Tripoli

''The operations of the Italian avators in Tripoi are the greatest practical dem onstration of the value of the aeroplane in actual warfare. Fate evidently decreed that Italy in her war with Turkey should get the same opportunity for testing mill itary aircraft that Japan in her war with Russia got to test out the latest creations in military and naval warfare along the most modern and improved lines
 ''The relative military value of the aero- plane. as already demonstrated by Italy, has followed the same evolution which the value of military aircraft in general way has followed in the minds of many
 leading military experts the world over. First with it's appearance among the Arabs, the aeroplane was a so-called won der. miracle, something which by it's very operation defied all means of defense and placed objects under it under spell Then followed an abrupt change, when several of the Italian aeroplanes fitted about harmlessly, while the Arabs noticed that in some instances the airmen could not fly at =. The wonder was gone, the charm dispeled, and according to reports received in this country, the respect of the Arabs for the aircraft went down as a sort of abrupt reaction from their first fears and first admiration. But before long 1t was evident that neither their first exalted opinion of the aeroplane. nor their revised disdain for it was correct. The aeroplane came to be looked upon not as q mysterious marvel that makes war fare impossible nor a giant bugaboo, but a very serviceable fighting force in itself, to be reckoned with at it's par value.
 How Observations Were Taken
 '"The Arabs and TurksS while planning an advance Of some 6o00 men, to take the Italians by surprise noted that two per- slstent little aerial messengers kept how ering over them out of harms way, but near enough to know exactly what was going on in the Arabs camp. This was late in October of last year. Just before the battle the aerial pilots disappeared. When the fighting took place the Italians seemed to know by instinct every detail of the enemy's plans and maneuvers. Distances were calculated to a nicety and the Italian guns relying on technical infor- nation brought by the aviators fairly riddled the enemy's column to pieces be- fore the Arabs or Turks got their bear ings. The loss to the Turkish army in this engagement, the battle of Sciara- Sciat, is reported to have been 30OO men, half of the attacking force. The aviators who did the important preliminary scouting were Captain Piazza, in a Bleriot; Captain Moize. in Newport. During the battle Lieutenant Gavotti, in an Etrich and Captain Piazza. crcled the air above the line of fire and were able to help direct the firing of the big guns from the ItaI- ian battleship Carlo Alberto and from Italian mountain artillery near at hand
 Lieutenant Gavotti flew over the en- emy's camp and dropped four bombs with damaging results. He could view the ter rible effect of the explosions from abo 5e and by circling about kept out of harm s way.
 '.The Italian aviators have demonstrated beyond doubt that the aeroplane is a most useful and effective weapon in warfare, especially for all the .yalpable scouting