Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1915-10-30
DARING AIR FIGHT
British AeropIane Eludes Six
German Machines.
Where Seconds Spell Difference Be-
tween Success and FaIiure-ThriiI.
Ing Episode Related by an Aero
plane Observer In France.

London.--This 10 an account OF how
q British aeroplanei fought and eluded
six German machines. 1t ID taken
from the journal Of an aeroplane OBJ.
server at the front. The Ripper and
the Mound, pilot and observer OF "the
old cow" caused some anxiety at
the aerodrome by being late In re-
turning from o reconnaissance.
Here is the account OF what actu-
ally happened, extracted from the
Mound with considerable difficulty:
by the time we had gone ten
miles into the hostile country three
German machines began following us
at almost our own height. We were
not worried, because they had q good
four miles to make up.
'In a few minutes the Ripper shout.
cd down the phone: Look out on your
left. They are trying to head us
or Far below US, but not far In
front, two more machines were climb
ing towards US.
WhLChUu tAU n4CulACb UCION
while the Ripper kept those behind ii
the corner of his eye. In about twenty
minutes we had reached the end of
u curse and had completed our
observations. All Ave enemy machines
were now fairly close together In d
rectangular formation, but had moi
gained on us.
How we were to get back and out
wit the enemy was now u problem
The Ripper swung the old cow abou
twice to give the impression OF hesi
tation. The enemy. although still abou'
two or three miles astern, turnet
north on the assumption that we mus
return the way we anne. Having d
verted their course, we bore 10
again and gained q couple OF mile
while the enemy was determining
what to do next. Keeping to thei'
mass formation, they bore southeast
thinking they had US sure.
Things happen quickly In the all
A few seconds mean hundreds o
yards and the difference between sue
cess and failure. The Ripper tilteC
the old cows horns In the line thu
Germans were following. This lost u
some ground. The Germans were 81
interested In this that they did no
notice that we YER edging off to tn
north, Just enough to insure thei
crossing us on our flank. In about TIVE
minutes they were almost level, bu'
we'll to the right.
1.-THE moment had come for a bolt
stroke. The Ripper leveled the ma
chine poised her at a terrific anglt
and made In O straight line for the
nearest German. The whole five tip
ped In unison. We knew that they
would take a good twenty seconds tc
get under way again. Like q fash the
circled outwards and made oil
for the lines on a straight course
There was no one to bar the way for
the moment. The Germans were out
but started In pursuit. Tha'
seconds meant half q mile tc
us.
Suddenly above the roar OF the en-
CINE there was the rattle Of a machine
gun close up, and a dull thudding tear
as some shots found the planes. II
was so misty 1t took us a few seconds
to spot the new danger, 1t was an
Albatross crossing us about 300 yards
above. The Ripper keeled the old cow
out In an instant and we. we're 500
On q level with the new enemy, who
was laboring to pass our front again.
We swung towards him and charged
The pilot, who thought he had US Oil
the run, lost his nerve and went into
q spinning dive and only came out
5000 feet below.
I'VE resumed our homeward course
without further incident"