New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-12
AEROPLANE PROVES
MILITARY SUCCESS
Heavy German Machines
No Match for Allies
Faster Flyers.

The military aeropiane, according 70
Stephenson MacGordon, one of the best
known Of American aviators, has proved
it, worth and the European powers are
doing their utmost to keep their stock
of machines rcplenished. MacGordon
has Just arrived from tour of the
Continental countries, and also spent
L.uch time studying aeronautical prog
ress in England.
Information as 10 just what the
aeroplanes were doing in the war was
hard 20 get in France" said MacGor-
don, "but | talked with Roland Garros
and several military aviators who had
been ut the front with the French and
British armies, ana learned enough OF
what was going on TO be sure that the
fourth arm has not proved a failure.
"The Germans are at disadvantage
So for az their a"roplancs are con-
ccrncd. Most Of their machines are OF
the ~. /. w and 'Taubc' types. They
arc beautiful machines and wonderfully
well built. Dat speed has been sacri-
feed for stability and, from the reports
that came to ne, this has been dlsas-
trous.
1.-THE French machines are speedy
and can cut circles around the clumsy
German planes. If German machine
is seen in the air by the French no
attention is paid to it until the officers
have decided that the enemy has
learned too much. Then two or three
fast machines are sent out to get the
unwelComc visitor, and, although little
news has leaked out through official
channels. | am certain that they have
been getting them.
ITO my mind the best machines of all
ere those built in England. SOpwith
and Nickers machines have been
shipped TO the Continent and are being
used by the allied forces. The Sop
with tabloid tyne can make ll5 miles
an hour, and the Nickers gun bus, ar
norcd and carrying a gatling gun, can
Az at IS miles. You can see what an
advantage this gives them over the
German machines, which travel at
about 55 miles an hour.
"Whcn the French and English avia-
tors arc sent after a German machine
it is understood that if they cannot
bring down the enemy by firing at IL
the machine is to be rammed This
means the sacrifice Of machine and
av:atoTs. but volunteers are not lack
lnc in any case. The reason that so
many machines have been struck by
bullets, according to the French and
English army fliers, is that the pilot
has taken too many chances.
"Thcy agree that a practised observer
can size up body of troops from an
altitude Of 10000 feet. Il is known
that at $500 feet a machine is out Of
Isnge of the best guns, but time and
again, even after the nviators are well
out of range, they have decided to get
rs close as possible, and thereby have
courted destruction. All of them agree
that for scouting and range finding the
seloplane is Invaluable"
John Lansing Callan, who went TO
the Azores last July to await the ar
rival of Lieutenant Porte with the
America, arrived from England yester-
day on the steamship Creole. Callan
visited Hendon Field, which has been
taken over by the British government
for training ground. There he saw
Porte, who now is directing the in
struction.
Callan confirmed the rumor that the
America had been purchased by the
British Admiralty, and from his state
ments it was apparent that more ma
chimes of the same type will be de-
| liveredO TO Great Britain. According
TO Callan. it was through the represen-
tations of Lieutenant Porte that the
purchase was determined upon.
While in England, Callan saw many
aeroplanes being shipped 20 Ostend,
and he said that every machine in the
kingdom has been taken by the gov
eminent.
"Thc danger feared most in England"
said Callan, ais the German Zeppelin.
Everybody talks about them and Won
ders if they will be sent over London.
met Captain Williams, of the United
States army. He was in Antwerp when