The Washington herald., 1914-08-30
TEUTONSLEADIN
AERIAL Strength
Sky Fleet of Germany and
Austria Outnumbers that
of All the Allies.
AERO HAS ADVANTAGE
Theory that Zeppelin Balloon Cannot
Be Attacked from Above Is
Discounted by Facts.

The story of the ramming Of a German
Zeppelin airship by the famous French
aviator Roland Garros, a story which
later was disproven. probably arose from
the idea that a Zeppelin cannot be at.
tackled in any other way. owing to its
being defended from assault from above
by a rapid-fring gun mounted atop the
gas bag.
In order to make sure of his aim, a
bomb-thrower in an aeroplane would have
to approach within 100 feet of the Zeppe.
lin. where he would be within easy range
or the gun supposed TO be mounted on
the balloon.
Would CauBc Explosion.
As a matter Of fact, however. only three
of four of the very latest Zeppelins are
equipped with these gun platforms and.
Furthermore, II is learned on good author
ity that none Of them is mounted with
guns, for it is now known that II there
were a leak in any of the chambers of
the gas bag near the middle portion of
the dlrigtble, the escaping hydrogen
would ind its way out near the gun
platform and would be most certain TO
explode when the gun was discharged.
1t is now believed that the explosion
several months ago OF the new Zeppelin
at Johannisthal, near Berlin. when the
CEG" were hlllCu, WIS caused Dy
the gun on top firing blank cartridges
as an experiment
1t is. therefore, comparatively q simple
matter. in the absence of a gun, for an
aviator TO approach quite close to
Zeppelin from above for the crew in the
cars below the gas bag. cannot hit the
aeroplane. so long as the pilot keeps the
envelope between himself and the cars Of
the Zeppelin.
Has Kept Air Fleet on.
knowledge Of this fact probably &C
counts for the absence OF reports OF Ger
man airships flying over France, while
the German balloons have been seen
much over Belgium. France has a huge
corps Of expert aviators and aeroplanes
of the highest efficiency, while the Bel
gian aviation corps is so small that II
hardly counts.
While Germany has been the especial
sponsor of the dirigible for military pur-
the aeroplane. While France has popu-
larry been supposed TO lead in war aero
planes, Germany has as many as 100
of these machines and perhaps the larg-
est trained corps of military aviators
in the world.
These thirteen hundred machines are
all comparatively new and with ali tue
latest improvements WIN one
firm putting out 40 aeroengines a month
for the last six months, one may safely
put the entire German output at go
month. With an aeroplGne for each Of
these engines. German military aviation
activity breaks all records.
Army Fostered System.
The number Of pilots to fly these ma
chimes is greater than the aviation corps
of any other nation because of Ger
many's policy OF encouraging civilian
flying schools. Under this system, each
aeroplane firm Of any importance had
a certain number Of soldiers, mostly Of
ficers, but some privates and noncom.
missioned officers, allotted 10 its school
to be trained by the firms own pilots.
To stimulate progress in aviation, mill
tary aviators were encouraged to enter
the big flying competitions and various
government departments gave prizes. For
this reason, there were thirty starters
in the Prince Henry competition this
year. while the big Observation-Disclosures
ter air race in England about the same
time brought out only six starters.
1t is now practically certain that the
German and Austrian air scouts together
outnumber all the French. Russian. Brit
Ish, Belgian. Servian and Dutch aviators,
so that in the aerial end of the war, Ger
many is far ahead Of her enemies.