The Washington herald., 1914-08-09
AIR FLEETS DUE
TO BE Factors
European Nations Will Use
Aeroplanes, Dirigibles, and
Balloons in Conflict.
ZEPPELINS ARE READY
Italian Aviators Only Airmen Who
Have Had Experience in
Actual Warfare.
zEPPELINS. ARE READY

The great conflict now raging among
the powers of Europe, promises not only
to be a struggle for supremacy on land
and sea but for supremacy in the air
as well. France, Russia and England
will send their vast air fleets against
the giant Zeppelins OF the Germans.
In a measure, the present European
war will settle for all time the relative
merits of the aeroplane and the dirigible
balloon as engines of destruction. In
the DEVELOPMENT of the latter type OF
aircraft Germany stands supreme. She
has nine of the giant Zeppelins, fully
equipped and five more nearing compile
ton Work on these is being rushed
with all possible speed. They range from
$50 to 525 feet in length, are equipped
with motors giving from $50 to 40 horse
power, and carry light three-inch guns
which have been successfully fired in
maneuvers. They speed through the air
at the rate OF forty or fifty miles an
hour.
OF Rigid Type.
All the Zeppelins are of the rigid type.
the outer shell and framework being OF
aluminium construction Inside the frame
work are the silk bags. as many as
seventeen in some OF the largest types.
filled with hydrogen gas. The advantage
of a number of small bags, lies in the
ability of the airship to keep affoat
even with one or more Of the bags
punctured or otherwise out OF commits
sion.
Austria also has several rigid dirigibles
and Italy has three or four. II Italy
Joins in with Germany and Austria, the
Triple Alliance will have at its dis
posal thirty-one of this type OF air
craft.
On the other hand England, France and
Russia can muster thirty-four gas bag
airships, but they are all much smaller /
than the Zeppelins and are OF the nom !
rigid or semi-rigid type.
The Triple Entente, formed by these .
three countries. will pin their faith to .
their aerOplanes rather than to the /
balloons. 1t is estimated that the En- .
tente has 1850 aeroplanes against the ,
700 of the Alliance. France, especial
", has developed the army aeroplane
to a high state OF efficiency and uses .
both the monoplane and The biplane,
although the former predominates. For
work the monoplane has
proved to be more successful because .
Of the greater speed II can attain and
the fewer chances Of discovery by the .
enemy.
The italian aviators are the only air
men who have received actual training 4
In aerial warfare. The Italians sue
used aeroplanes in their cam Il
paign in Tripoli and also attained a
measure of success with semi II
-igid dirigibles.
Only One DiriEibIe. II
England has one fast, though small.
iirigible attached to her navy. This
8 the Astra Torres ", which recently
made fifty-one miles an hour against
twelve-mile wind. It is Of the nom
-igid type and can be debated and
,acked aboard a warship. The Vickers
Ind Armstrong firms are now con-
,tructing two rigid airships for the
British admiralty. These. when COM
,leted will resemble the Zeppelins.
england also has one naval parsevaL
20 feet long. The Astra Torres Is
slightly smaller. There are also four
,ther airships. from 100 to $50 feet in
ength. France has thirteen diriGibles
attached to her army. These range
rom 275 TO 325 feet in length. The
;piess. the largest Of the French feet,
$ rigid There is also under COnstruc-
ion another spiess which will be $50
eet long.
Austria has but three airships in
ondition for use. a collision about
month ago having destroyed one OF
he Austrian army balloons.
Little is known of the Russian di-
igibles She has thirteen small low
peed craft. Like England and France
he has concentrated on the aeroplane