The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-24
FIGHTING
IN THE AIR
By ALAN HINSDALE

ms liShS' 10y uuueT UIIeen reads
of adventure and desires to be in it.
After fifteen up to, say, twenty-five
he gets in it if the opportunity occurs.
And it is that period in his life when
he is most fitted for hazardous enter
prises During the war between the
states both Union and Confederate ar
mics were full of youngsters under
the minimum age that was fixed by
law for enlistment.
But it has been reserved for the
twentieth century to excel all others
in furnishing tempting field for dar-
ing exploits. What could be more
thrilling than fighting far up in the
air? The great European war fur
nishes the acme of daring in battle.
Il would seem enough for one to risk
his life up in the clouds with nothing
but thin air between him and the
earth, but to attack another airship
there can only be set down to the
quintessence of recklesSness.
Though an American, could not re-
sist this kind of warfare and early In
the struggle went to England to study
and practice aviation. | was seven
teen when | went abroad, bIt nineteen
before was admitted into the corps
of high tliers and sent to the front.
My aeroplane was one of the smaller
kind and ! managed 1t alone. My du-
ties were simply to obtain information
by rising high enough to look down on
the enemy's works. | also directed
gun fire. OF course l was constantly
target for shots from the earth, but
| could keep out of range-that is, If
| chose. But If / did not fly near
enough to the enemy | could distin-
guish nothing. At first when shell
came anywhere near me | was fright
ened but familiarity breeds contempt,
and l soon became familiar with mis-
Siles.
One day received an order to cross
the German line and spy out the loca-
ton of battery that was demolish-
ing works our boys were constructing
as fast as they were built. l went up
about 800 feet. then made FOR point
directly above the place from which
| the shells seemed to emanate.
l was seen by the enemy. and no
doubt my errand was suspected, for
presently saw what looked like a
| bird-about birds size at the dis
| tance-rise from the rear Of the most
active gun and keep mounting, evil
IDENTIFY with the design of getting above
me. |. too, climbed, for | did not
propose that my enemy should have
an additional advantage in dropping
bombs on me.
1t was hard to realize that the little
flier with stretched wings seemingly
no larger than swallow might mean
death TO me. had been something OF
sportsman and was familiar with
birds. 1t seemed to me that this one
might light on branch and pour forth
a song
He did not light on a branch, but In
time he poured forth song. 1t was
not the song of bird; 1t was the song
of bullet
But this was not yet.
The German and l iockeyed for posi-
ton, endeavoring to get near enough
to the battery l was ordered to spy
on as well as to keep him from get
ting the advantage Of me, l had one
eye on the battery, the other on the
aviator. | was so bent on fixing it
! location that gave him the whiphant
of me in this-if l came down | would
do so on enemy's ground, while b'
would fall among his own comrades.
had located certain objects which
would enable me to describe the posi-
ton of the battery to our gunner'
when saw Mr.. German endeavorins
to circle around to my rear. Havin.
secured what | had come for, l turn
ed and started for home. But chas'
is a disadvantageOus position for thu
pursued. The other fellow can fire
his back. and he can't fire at all unless
he twists himself around, which is diff
fcult and not conducive to true aim
was obliged to go about, as sailo
on the water NOulu Sus, hShe
On entering upon this my first contcs
ND in the air it may be wondered tina
was not paralyzed by the dreadful
fall would make If my machine wer
disabled. | did not think of it, ant
the reason ! did not think of 1t wa
that | hadn't time. In other words,
was so absorbed in the coming strug
gle that there was no place in m,
mind for anything else.
As | turned, exposing my flank TO
few moments, / saw my enemy rails
his piece to fire. A bullet sang by m,
head. ] was more concerned for m,
ship than for my head, which was nat
ural, for if my head were pierced
would go down without consciousness
but If my ship were wrecked J woul'
experience the awful fall. Fortunatel,
neither my head nor my ship wa
touched.
Before my enemy could get anothe
shot at me he got one from me- l re
Trained from aiming at him. but drew
bead on where l believed his engin'
20 ba niSSnd the engine but | mus