The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-02-03
French AIR FLEET
DIVIDED INTO THREE CLASSES
OF FLYING MACHINES.
take Place OF CAVALRY

NEAH AlhUA "a OEA AkA
Frenchman Gives Interesting Descrip-
ton of the Aerial Corps of France
Tells How Each Class Of Ma
chimes Are Built for Special Pur-
pose-.Aircraft Gu Failures.
How the aeroplane is developing
in the European war was discussed
last week by Baron L. d'Orcy, mem
Der of the Aero Club of America, re-
Gently returned from France. Baron
d'Orcy is Hnown in this country,
where he spent several years, as one
of the foremost authorities on avia-
tio~ He went to Paris more than
1t ,ars ago, and was an editor of
lAoIo until the beginning of the
war
Baron d'Orcy is not French citi-
zen, though descended from an old
French family. He shared the en-
thusiasm Of his friends, however, for
the cause of the republic against Ger
| many and enlisted in the French For
eign Legion. He became i'll in the
service and received his release. The
young man now is regaining his
health.
Roland Garros shook hands with
me in Paris on Christmas Eve, just
before I left there. The Germans re-
| ported killing him as great achieve
ment early in October, but the pilot
they found dead was Garaix, in the
Paul Schmitt biplane which last
spring made such remarkable pas
senger records with its wings of va
riable angles.
"A German shot exploded the
petrol tank, destroying the aeroplane
and killing the pilot. The letters
Gar were all that remained of his
name on a card in his pocket when
the Germans examined the body, and
they concluded that it was Garros
whom they had brought down.
Among other noted aviators Marc
Pourpe has been slain, as well as
Senator Raymond. Chevillard was
| taken prisoner near Rheims, having
ventured to descend on the field to
pick up German helmets as souvenirs.
Jules Vedrines, Pegoud and Gilbert
are all flying for the army and doing
good work.
Zone lesson that has been learned
as the result of flying experience in
| the war is that it is useless to at
tempt to construct single type of
aeroplane that will do all that is re-
quired in the air by an army. It is
mechanically impossible that any
craft should be able to accomplish all
classes of aerial work as well as the
special types that have been and are
still developing.
I'm France the machines have
been divided into three classes. These
are the destroyer artillery spotter
and scout .aeroplanes. On each Of
these lines Development is advancing
rapidly.
"The destroyer carries gun, bomb
dropping machine and is of the push
er type, with propeller behind and
gun forward, giving a wide range Of
fire in attack, and great advantage
over the G. man Taubes. which have
the tractor screw in front. This last
arrangement prevents firing ahead.
"The bomb dropping machine has
developed much accuracy. At the
battle Of the Marne an escadrille of
these destroyers planted bombs at
the entrance to the railway tunnel
at Scissors just as train loaded
with German reinforcements emerg-
ed. The train was blown to fr:SS-
ments and the tunnel w;aS~closed to
others.
~~"The destroyers' machine guns are
not very effective against Zeppelins,
however Their calibre seems to be
too small A large gun or an explo-
sive projectile is needed for this pur-
pose and no doubt the new destroyers
will have a gun that will do the
work. The machine itself must have
more power to lift the added weight
and to give more speed.
cat present the destroyer can not
pursue and dest oy the fast light
scout, it's speed being about sixty to
seventy miles an hour. I believe the
destroyer is about to develop like the
marine destroyer, which drove the
torpedo boat from the seas by super
ior speed and fighting force. So
gradually we will have aerial de-
stroyers that will carry more and
more guns at greater speed. 1t can't
be done all at once, however.
| "On the second class of aeroplanes,
the artillery spoilers, the needs are
light armor, owing to the low alti-
tude at which these machines must
fly in observation-as close as 1000
metres. At this height they can be
reached by rife bullets. and protec-
ton from these is needed. So the
armored aeroplanes have been as
signed to this work The destroyers
fly twice as high and need no armor.
Neither one OF them has had reason
to fear the anti-aircraft guns, which
are very inaccurate in aim.
1.-The spoilers also are equipped
with wireless apparatus designed for
their special use by French officer,
enabling them to keep in constant
communication with the batteries to
which they are attached. Not all of
these instruments are able to receive,
but that is not Of as much impor-
tance as the ability to report the
enemy's position and the effect of
the fire directed against it.
''In speed it is important that these
machines be able to fly slowly when
they wish to ]inger above hostile
position or suspected position. They
also must be able to climb quickly
out of danger. So variable speed is
being developed.
''In the third class is the fast light
scout, taking the place Of cavalry in
reconnaissance and bearing dis
patches that can not be trusted to
wireless. These are one man ma
chimes without armament other than
the pilots rife or automatic revolver.
and most of them are making little