The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-07-07
DUELS IN AIR
ARE THRILLIF,G
Bulletin deS ArmeeS" Tells How
French FIierS Risk Their
Lives.
HAVE NO RULES TO FOLLOW
Success 10 Won by the Fighters Aer
lal VirtVssity and the Superiority
of the Machine He Flies
Some Flights.

Paris.-Bhe Bulletin des Armees
prints an article on aerial duels. AS
this publication is official, being is.
sued solely to the troops, the details
given may be accepted as literally
correct and free from the exaggera.
ton often lent to aviation stories.
In April the writer begins, cur
aviators brought down thirty-one Ger.
man aeroplanes, while we lost only
six. In March the numbers were thir.
teen lost on our side and thirty-fve
by the Germans; seven, including
three FOkkers, in one day. Our bonn
harding squadrons make attacks on
the German rear lines almost daily.
1T is often asked how aeroplane
fighting is carried on, whether any
special tactics exist for attacking an
enemy or for defending oneself
against an adversary who suddenly
comes in sight. The answer is mega.
tive. Aeroplane fighting is impro.
vised to suit the conditions. No de.
fined method is employed, all being
left to the pilots presence Of mind,
GOODNESS and decision.
Success is won by the fighters
aerial virtuosity and the superiority
of the machine he flies. Individual
qualities make the conqueror.
Drops on His Foe.
"A German champion, like Immel.
mann, the 'super-hawk, over whom
German papers wax so enthusiastic,
has but one trick up his sleeve. He
mounts as high as possible and turns
round above his sector. Then when
be catches sight of an adversary he
lets himself fall upon him in
straight drop, and fires his machine
gun as he passes. The fight is then
0ver for him, whatever the result may
have been. He makes off to his own
ines and begins the same maneuver
over again.
"Navarre's way of fighting is alto.
gether different. He harries his en-
emy from every side. He envelops
him in unexpected evolutions. To pre-
vent him from attacking, Navarro car.
ries out the most fantastic leaps,
swerves, and twistings, and then at
the right minute pours in stream
Of bullets from his machine gun. He
has no special tactics, but marvel
GUS variety of attacks and feints.
He never leaves an enemy until he
has brought him down, unless some
circumstance intervenes.
And Navarro is not alone, he has
many a competitor in the service.
The fighting aeroplane in our
suuadrons is One-seated, while the
Germans almost always have two men
in theirs.
In an aeroplane the sense of hear
ing, is useless, the din of the motor
deafening both pilot and observer,
Birds can detect an aeroplane by its !,
sound from afar and display fear but
.he human bird has to depend upon
sight, and woe to the man who is
taken by surprise!
Fight at Close Range.
"Aeroplane fighting is at close
range, fifteen to twenty-five yards, If
one wishes to make sure of hitting
the mark with quick tirer. OF course
there are exceptions. Navarro at Yer
dun, when at height Of $4,000 feet,
saw a very fast German aeroplane es-
Gaping and fred at 200 yards distance,
almost in scorn, not expecting to
touch his enemy. But down came the
German machine.
Generally, however, Navarro tries
to get as close as possible to fight,
One day the wind was blowing
tempest from behind and Fokker
was fleeing before him. A twenty-five