The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-09-05
AIR FIGHTERS F|NO
SAFETY IN NUMBERS
Now Move in Squadrons Along
The War FrOnt-BOmb
Machides Slow.

how they operate are explained by a
British aviator as follows
Machines suitable for heavy bomb
dropping are necessarily slow COM
pared with thoroughgoing fighters.
To lift the bombs a great spread of
wing surface is needed, and powerful
engines. This makes the machines
heavy to handle.
One bomb-dropper setting out
alone nowadays would not get far.
Half dozen small and agile scouts
would soon be on his tail and under
his tail and diving on his forward
"blind spots" where the wings come
between the pilot and the attacker.
The only method is to send either
an escort Of scouts or several bomb
troopers flying in formation.
The objection to sending scouts is
that they do not ordinarily carry
enough petrol to enable them to car
ry out the long "shows" that are
usually the lot of bomb-dropper.
y On the other hand, formation fly
ing provides mutual protection
against aerial attack. No hostile
machine can approach without COM
ing under the fire of at least two 9TH
D. machines. "Blind spots" are prac-
ideally eliminated. -.-~ .-. ----. .
The only remedy is to break up the
formation by antiaircraft fire or by
aerial tactics. This the formation
will most strenuously resist, for
"The strength of the pack is the
wolf,
But the strength of the wolf is the
pack"
Individual machines which drop
out Of place stand more chance of
falling a prev to more agile foes.
Formation flying needs much pl'ao
alec. 1t is rot an easy art to learn
to carry out neatly.
At first you are sent out in
small groups, with orders to keep
well away from the lines.
When you set off, each man climbs
to the stated preliminary height and
tries to pick up his position. This is
not always easy. The leader is cir
cling round and round the aerodome
and there is not much spare room.
Other machines are trying to get po-
sition or are coming up from below,
and careful maneuvering is needed
to avoid collisions. Every now and
then you will strike the "backwash"
of another machine and get thrown |
all over the place.
IL, Besides this, all machines are
different, even machines of the same
type. Some will climb and others
will not. One pilot may be beautiful
ly in position from one point of view,
4, but a thousand feet too low. and
eround and round goes the formation
until he is in place. 1t is no use ex-
pecting him to pick up his place once
the formation has really started
away.
Another pilot may be too high, an
other too far behind and putting 9TH
ers out.
Later you learn how to maneuver
as formation, turning to right and
left without losing position. The
outer ones must cut the corners and |
the inner ones hold up and almost
"stall." At first it is enough merely
to fly straight and keep height and
position.
One pilot, although experienced,
after practicing fighting in formation
for the first time. came down quite
shaken up. "That is the most dan
gerous thing ever tried" he said;
"Td rather go over the lines alone
any day!"
1t takes time to produce team
work.
But when it is learned it is fine
sight to see the machines go off.
They all stand out in rows in the
aerodrome. Busy mechanics sur
round them. The pilots Chamber in
they have already looked their ma
chimes over One by one, close after
each other, away they go. They
climb and pick up their positions.
The signal is given, the formation
is correct. OF il goes. climbing,
climbing up to the height at which it
is to travel.
And then comes the long trip.
There is the lodging among "Arch-
les" when every machine in the
squadron goes sliding right and left.
= AS you cross the lines the shrapnel
win be bursting around you in
groups of six, and at your level, even
though you fly at different height
every day. Yet the squadron as a
whole mnst keep its formation or be
DESTROYED piecemeal. w H f
Than thara sc the kir,.a xxkav, aa.h |