South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-26
ITALIAN FLIES
LONG DISTANCE
Trip From Turin to London is
Made Without a Stop
Record Remarkable.
-uLe-naL-onaI So servLe.

International News Service:
ROME. Dec. 26.-Capt. Laureatrs
wonderful feat in flying from Turin
TO London without a stop crowns a
series Of most remarkable achieve
ments by Italian aviators. The quail
ity of the Italian aviator had been
already proved in the days of the
Tripoion war when heavier than air
machines for the first time acted not
only as scouts. but as flying artillery.
TIE beginning Of the present war
found italy still experimenting and
choosing between different ma
chimes. all of foreign make. he
early Newport. Blariot, Farman and
Erich models had given way 10 the
Nacchi .Parasol (so-called because
the wings. slightly inclined; re-
sem bled a sunshade) and the early
Caproni and the Caudron was tax
ing the place of the Bleriot as d
machine specially adapted for ar
ullery observation. But il was only
at the end Of 1915 that the first big
Caproni of 500 horsepower made
its peculiar qualities appreciated.
New Bombing Aeroplanes.
The Caproni bombing aeroplane
marked a new era in the history of
the Italian aeroplane industry. The
brothers Caproni. born in the Italian
Irredenta. crossed the frontier as
soon as they realized the military
Importance of the machine they had
devised They submitted their plans
10 the Italian authorities and their
suggestions were accepted, but some
time was 70 elapse before the ma
chine could be perfected. Italy en-
tered the war in 1915, and at the
end Of the year the Caproni was al
ready the most redoubtable oppo-
nent Of the Austrian filters. although
i'm fighting planes the superiority
was on the side of the enemy.
But it was only in the following
year that Italian aviation began TO
assert its now undisputed superior
ity over the Austrians. The Far
mans and the Caudron gradually
disappeared. and i'm their stead the
Italians adopted the :. L. and Fiat
both national products-for scout
ing and reconnaissance. and the lit
tie Newport for attacking and for
escorting the great Caproni-new
models of $50 horsepower-in their
bombing expeditions.
What the machines of the Societa
Italiana Aeroplani (known as S. L.
A are now capable of in the hands
Of a daring pilot. was shown by the
recent flight of Capt Lareati TO
London, and by the still longer jour
ney Of the same airman from Turin
to Naples and back without a stop.
the distance in both cases being
covered at an average speed of al
most 80 miles an hour. But the
work done by the CaprOni machines
has been no less remarkable in its
way. The last Italian push was
ushere in by extensive lombard
ments of the enemy's naval base and
railway junction. The result of this
attack was felt a few days later
when the Italian and British mont
tors Joined in the bOmbardment of
the Austrian positions on the Her
manda. and not a single unit Of the
enemy's fleet daring to interfere. A
similar attack was undertaken
against Cattaro with equally salts
factory results a few days ago
The Italian superiority over the
Austrians is now as unquestionable
in the air as il is on land. Aviation
develops constantly and rapidly, the
surprises have been sprung by us
and upon us; but we may trust Ital-
ian inventors and manufacturers to
keep pace with anything the enemy
may do. In the rapid strides Of the
new industry the Italians have
SHOWN once more in the best sense
that hard and practical spirit" a.
it was called before the war which
is in reality the necessary ballast OF
a naturally ardent people. It is the
same spirit which led Leonardo ia
Vinci first to inquire i'm 10 the pos
sibilities of air kites and volta TO the
electric pile.