The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-09
Army of the Air Is Now a Reality = Squadron Pre- sented a Front Half Mile in Width
AIR CRUISERS AND
 BATTLESHIPS WERE
 ARMED WITH CANNON
Correspondents Are Given
 Special Opportunities to Make Observations on
 Movements of Armament

Paris. October S.-An aerial army no longer is a dream of romance. Such an army. formed in divisions and squadrons, with battle aeroplanes, cruiser aeroplanes, scouts and torpedo planes. all armored heavily and carrying three-inch cannon and rapid fire guns. is a fealty. It has been made possible through the remark able development of military aviation in France The French government today permitted the first inspection of its new fleet of aero planes, Opportunity was given to inspect the large and small types of the new bat tie planes and watch them as they were maneuvering high in the air, firing round after round from their three-inch rifles, while they scared looped and darted about.
 The minsster of war, Alexandre Miller and, assigned two military experts of | the stan of the aviation service-Captain De l.tfargue and Lieutenant Paruf-to conduct the correspondents first to one point, the name of which may not be mentioned, where the new fleet of battle craft had been assembled, and later tho | aviation school at B., where loo miii- | tary aviators were learning to navigate the rev war craft.
 The aviation field Is vast enclosure. Entering the field monster battle plane loomed up 30 feet high with a number | of planes stretching 130 feet across. Fur | ther back was ranged the fleet of battle cruisers and scout planes. They were | formed like battalion. 20 planes in a row across the front, and 10 deep, Their huge wings made front half a mile wide.
 Heavily ArmOred l The battle plane and all the cruisers were armed heavily. Each carried both | tue three-inch cannon and the rapid fire | gun.
 The huge hattie. plaae was the chief Il csnsensof sttontion. The engineer who l constructed u explained the details. The ] officers said this was the first actual real l izatioll of the battle plane. other aerial dreadnaughts having proved to im- practical This monster actually flies. l carrying a crew of 12 men, with two can- | non on the wings throwing three-inch steel projectiles Three trial flights have
 been made, demonstrating that 1t has the steadiness of an ordinary biplane. | The huge craft Is now ready for bat | tie line. The regular crew for fight
 ing will consist of four men and an | officer
 | The armored cruiser asroplanes then were brought out and put through | tests high in the air. They are small | biplanes of high power. Each Is armed | with cannon and can rise almost | vertically from the ground at speed | of 90 miles an hour. Captain Franta | and Operators Mondelli and Nallard
 made successive Flights in cruisers. ris- l ing from the ground at an angle Of l GO degrees The steady roar of the three-ineh rifles continued as tho | cruisers circled far above. Mallard was the most daring operator. He fired the big guns while plunging from side to | side and dropping rapidly, initiating the naneuvers carried out while en- gazing an enemy. Several battle cruis-
 CTS recently carried out n night bonn
 bardment far back of the German line. During the Champagne engagement
 these cruisers hit German balloon which exploded in a mass of flame
 Mock Warfare
 This. however. was only the initial
 trial. The battle planes and cruisers
 are soon to begin movements in large
 squadrons. both defensive and offen- | sive They to attack the German lines of communication. particularly the railway functions, to cut off sup plies and spread demoralization In the
 rear of thS Germans
 Each squadron will consist of nine aeroplanes of all types, including ono
 battle plane, two battle cruisers ana
 six scout planes The complement for
 squadron will be upward of DO of-
 ficers and men, for the operation of the aeroplanes and their transporta-
 tions on lorries drawn by automobiles with which each squadron will be
 equipped.
 During the visit of the correspond
 ents 10 the aviation school 1t was
 learned from the commandant. Captain
 PeRou. that about 100 military ayia-
 tors were under instruction. This is
 only one of large number of these schools turning out trained aviators. Captain Pegout said noncommis-
 stoned officers and soldiers were mak-
 ing capable operators of fighting ma-
 chimes after one months instruction.
 In the aggregate, these schools are sl equipping many thousands for the
 work of the new and terrible aerial warcraft.