Omaha daily bee., 1915-10-03
AIR FIGHTS SPECTACULAR
Battles Between Airships Require
Supreme Nerve on Part Of the
Men in the Machines.
ARE TARGETS FOR BIG BOMBS

Correspondence OF the Associated PfessJ
BERLIN, Sept. e.--With the few rare
cases of duels between alrships and sub
marines as the only exceptions, air bat
ties between flying machines have fur
nished the supremely spectacular and
dramatic features OF the present war.
They have been by no means common
which. perhaps. increases the spectacular
feature-and they have Invariably de-
manded Of the participants a degree OF
iron nerve that the average man can
hardly conceive OF.
Such an air battle took place recently
on the west front. Two French and one
English aeroplsnes were pitted against
one German flying machine. The French
men soon withdrew, leaving the German
and the Engiishman TO match their skin
and nerve against each other. The for
tunes Of war were against the English
man, and he was killed, but not before
he had given an exhibition OF nerve that
compelled the admiration OF the Germans
who witnessed the battle.
How thrilling the contest was may DO
judged from the following account writ
ten by Berlin officer;
sour airshlp building possesses, very
naturally, n strong attraction for our
opponents, the French and the English
We have to be constantly on our guard,
and the sentries dare not take a mo-
ment's rest lest they fail to give us warn
ina OF the approach OF the enemy at the
earliest possible moment
Target for Bombs.
Recently the building has been visited
repeatedly by the French, who have tried
20 lift Il with bombs, Thus far they have
had no luck I'm that direction. and our
artillery has been able In one week 20
bring down two Frenchman who relied
too confidently on the speed OF their ma
chimes, and who accordingly displayed an
aitogether too great careiessnese. one
might almost say imprudence.
Yesterday afternoon three biplanes
were slgnaled. and ct the signal Lieuten-
ant c. rose 70 meet them and TO pre-
vent their coming II possible. As n
matter Of fact, two of the bipianes, which
got into the cross-fire of our guns.
turned and went back, The third flyer.
however, who was about 2T00 meters up.
continued onward and steered Tor his
goal with tho utmost persistence.
About $50 yards IN front OF the airship
building two bombs were thrown. one OF
which did not explode at all, and the
other went off harmlessly. In the mean
time our flyer. who had first satisfied
himself that the other two biplanes had
left. turned toward the third enemy and
steerod toward him a. fast as he could.
shells Burst Near.
"Our biplane. Il could be plainly seen
was not as fast a. the other--whicl
proved TO be Engiish-but the aviator at,
tempted. nevertheless. 20 get into the
same altitude. AZ first the maneuvei
was not clear 20 US. then we realized
that Lieutenant o's--- tactics were right
From guns In the rear OF the building
the Engiishman received q couple OF
shrapnels that burst uncomfortable neal
% him.
Nevertheless he made a short curry,
and steered toward the building again
He was again taken under heavy fire anC
one shrapnel struck his machine Tn,
Engiishman. however. wanted 20 do wha
he had come for. and 30 in spite OF tn,
auick-firing guns dropped from 800 to 70
yards lower. 30 as to be able to aim tn,
better
This maneuver was his undoIng
lieutenant c.. who now was at leAs
800 meters higher up. decided 60 over
come the inequality In speed In the tw,
machines by a dangerously steep plane
and shot down TO point about fift,
meters above the Englishman. The OBJ
server IN our machine az once began I,
ffre upon the enemy.
f"Tne English aeropiane reared sud