Bridgeton pioneer., 1916-02-03
GERMAN PLANES
SURPASS OTHERS
Splraling From Above Ring
Cone Of Fire Around Victim
FLY At A TERRIFIC SPEED
Ales Car cli--s az A--ss5-s Ssss s-s
Attack Sslslsss Ssa-~s F~s-a Sc,
nea:~-S-ss. frs-, S-scs4s- at A.
rsss srs Arss- gSss as Ssssje>
shir-

ress~0S-SSs fNS-f N~SS< e az ~
mes. ar> Arsls. Jest as a Ssssjs,
shir-
Sir Z Coznwsas question II TIE
house q eoTac.2o..S CeSs<scti@s German
FokSer machines Sg3 TIE resa>v - SaT-
old J. Tenant, parliamentary ssSass
secretary for war. Ge2ls wsiA g $40
jecs which laVte.ly has been amusing
British SpV-eAessS5ogsS he nss}y ASsl
emphasized British headquarters os-
ports OF loS>es q British ar craft n
France. which VotSlsi sixteen II =
month. sRd suggested that POSSe7s
would sccon,Q4ny ZegpelinS when Ger
msny made her next raid On London.
The Mail refuses - sccent NJ. Ten
nant's explanations IS satisfactory.
Recently youns English SvszfoV
wrote:
That Herr Imusluzna = the very
devil He flies $ FekSe- nao0opla1e
shoots through his pcorelle- and flies
beautifully. ! have net him twice and
got OF drums q ammunition al hi-a.
but with no result On either side bar
ring a few holes in the wings
ConverSat lions with several British
air men do not Indicate thai II the
Germans really have the idea @ fright
ening enemy sir nea their plan vii
be successful On the contrary. i IS
the chief ambition q British al men
at the front 10 engage 8 Fokke-
r
The aerial war is conducted with the
courtesies OF Fontenoy. Both British
and German air men frequently ex-
change tidings Of aviators who have
come TO grief by dropping written mes
sages within the hostile lines Both
flying corps respect each other and act
Ike gentlemen said one aviator.
The Fokker machine IS the inventioa
Of a young Dutchman who lived in
Germany. About 1911 or 1912 be built
weird looking. unca pSizable mona
plane which few quite well long be-
fore the scientists OF other countries
had put their theories into practice and
had produced the inherently stable bi-
planes, Of which so much has been
heard In this country there was al
the time some question Of these early
Fokker monoplanes being imported By
one Of the British flying services. but
their construction was so bad that the
inspecting officers did not dare to ask
pilots to risk their lives on them The
new Fokkers are the very opposite TO
the makers early effort All attempt
At Inherent stability has been abandon
ed, and they are designed TO be ab-
solutely under control Of the pilot In
every position. This is what makes
them such dangerous opponents. as
they can maneuver with lightning
speed.
Most Of these machines carry a pas
senger In 'front.' who works a machine
gun, but others have the gun fixed on
top of the engine and firing through
the propeller. or rather tractor screw.
to be technically correct In the latter
case the gun is aimed by steering the
whole aeroplane to suit. like Judson's
natiron gunboat in Kiplings story.
Favorite Method Of Attack
The favorite method Of attack is for
Fokker to get up high, to about 100
feet or SO. and hang around till one OF
the allies machines appears in sight
below. Then, il of the fixed gun type.
the Fokker stands on its head and
dives straight for its victim, loosing of
a stream of bullets as soon as il gets
within range. By making the descent
ever SO slightly spiral the straight
stream of bullets becomes q cone Of
fire, with its apex at the gun and with
the victim inside, so that whichever
way the lower machine tries to escape
It must pass through that cone When
the Fokker gets close 10 the enemy. If
he be not already hit, 1t approaches
directly from behind, firing straight
along the body or fusilage, 50 as 10
have pilot, passenger, tanks aud engine
all In one line OF fire, and Unless the
pursued machine is very quick on its
controls and Is able TO dodxe Ike a
rabbit some vital part is bound to be
hit sooner or later
Many Fokkers fire through their pro-
pellers. 1t appears that the propelIe,
blades are fitted with deflector plates
to turn aside such bullets as hit the
blades. Only about FIVE or six bullets
In hundred are likely to hit the
plates, and the ninety odd pass be-
tween the blades straight for the tar
get This deiector dodge was first
tried by the French aviator Garros.
who was shot down and captured iz
Flanders some months ago.
Fokkers which do not fire through
the propellers almost always attack
their victims from behind. diving IN.
der their tails and coming up in such
position that. while they can shoot
up into the body Of the pursued ma.
chine, the passenger in that machine.
even if sitting behind the pilot. cannot
shoot at the Fokker for fear Of bl0w-