Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-11-17

Fort Sill. Okla. Nov. Fort sin wa
bustling today in preparation for tho
| departure Of the nrst air squadron OF
the United States army, which to-
morrow will dy to San Antonio, Tex,
The flight was originally set TO start
Nov 20, but flne weather and the fact
that everything was ready caused a
change In plans. Six aeroplanes viii
make the. journey.
The aerial Journey will be made
under conditions az nearly like thoss
encountered in actual wartime an pos-
sible. The start Is expected to bo
made on Nov. 20. Bad weather or
delay In completion Of hangers, bar
racks and quarters at San Antonio.
however. may delay the trip. Tho dis
tance to be covered Is $50 miles. Stops
will be made at these points in Texas:
Wichita Falls. Bowie. Decatur. Eort
Worth. Cleburne Hillsboro, Waco.
Georgetown, Austin and possibly at
Granger and Temple.
Like Real War, Game.
The fight is intended to give a linc
on just how army aviators may be ex-
pected to work during a war. Il Ia
|
Of the fliers to follow a previously
designated route over unknown coun-
try: 1t Will give an opportunity to try
the army transport system under
stipulated war conditions, since trucks
following the aeroplanes will be- forced
to mako an average OF eighty miles
day on land: 1t will test tho power OF
the motors to stand-up under service
conditions and tho resourcefulness and
Iadaptability OF tho army flying or
| ganization, particularly Its supply de-
partment
| TO each aeroplane will be assignsd
one truck as tender. carrying ths crssg,
| tools. spare parts and other supplies.
A newly developed machine shop truck.
| carrying lathe and forge. will be
along to maintain tho squadron on
the way. For minor repairs to aero
planes forced to land thru motor
trouble, corps Of six motorcycles
carrying repair kits. and all capable of
great speed. Will be depended upon.
The First Aero. Squadron, signal
corps, u. S. A.. is the official designa-
tion Of the flying unit. The squadron
Is divided into six flying sections, a
transport section. a supply section, an
engineer section charged with motor
repairs, and IA headquarters section)
The officers are Captain B. D. FouioiM
commanding: and Lieutenants T. u.
Milling, c. G.. Chapman. j. K. Car
berry, 7. S. Bowen and I. A. RAIDER.
Captain Foulos is the Oldest military
flyer in the United States In point OF
service. With Orville Wright he COM
pleted tho first cross-country fight
made by Il military aeroplane This
! do
Not Part Of School.
AS the first army squadron is for
service with field troops. 1t must be
separated from the army aviation
school at San Diego. Cal. where op-
portunities for tho preliminary train
ing OF avlators are excellent but where
no large bodies OF troops arc avail
able for reconnaissance work. obser-
walton OF artillery fire. and many other
important duties demanded OF the
military flyer today.
The invention OF an automatic sur
vey camera has occupied much OF tho
time OF the aviators. This apparatus
when set in operation by the pilot Of
the aeroplane in which 1t Is installed.
takes a continuous series OF photo
gra phs Of the ground underneath the
line of flight. The photograph can
be made ready instantly on landing
and gives a connected group OF over
tapping pictures to which n scale can
be applied and from which the range
to any point shown on them can DO at
once obtained. In addition to this
survey camera a telephoto lens can be
put in operation which VIII search out
with precision impossible to tho fast
travelling aviator, the ground below for
evidences of concealed troops, bat
terles and conveys. Similar expert
ments viii be continued at San
Antonio.