Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1917-05-01
Maj, |. B, B, Rees, With Eng
Iish Mission, Relates Wv
idly How Allies Gained
Control of Air.
FEW HOSTILE MACHINES
FLY OVER ALLIED LINES
Kings AviatorS Fight at Three
Attitudes With Three Classes
of FIierSi Describes Differ
ent Types, |
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tsv MORNING. JOURNAL SPECIAL LsAssp wlREl
| Washington April 80. -- How the
British and French are maintaining
practical control of the air over the
western battle front was graphically
described here today by Maj L. b. B.
Rees of the British flying corps, who
hih,self once routed single e-handed q
squadron Of ten German raiders and
who is one of the few Englishmen to
receive both the Victoria cross and the
military cross.
| While the allied operations are
conducted almost entirely beyond the
German lines, the major said, the
| German machines now cross over the
allied lines only rarely in raiding par
ties. The British fly on three levels
he explained, with three kinds of ma
chimes. The lowest are the artillery
directors, who circle about in big
figure eights about 5000 feet above
the enemy trenches and flash back
directions to the British gunners by
wireless. Above them at 10000 feet.
the heavy fighters with two men to
machine and able to keep the air for
four hours at speed of 110 miles an
hour. At height of $1,000 feet are
the single-man light fighters capable
of 1870 miles an hour and of ascend
ing the first 10000 feet in ten min
utes The Germans, Major Rees said.
have given 10, NJ attempt TO guide
their artillery ~ aTplanc anu seek
only to smash up the allied reconnais-
sances over their lines. Their ma
chimes are largely of one class
therefore, fast, heavy fighters. gener-
ally biplanes which are continually
seeking to swoop down on the British
artillery observers and send them to
the ground before the British fighting
patrols can reach them. Recently,
however, he said, the Germans had
developed another light fighting ma
chine, which by climbing to 10000
feet, seek to overtop the British light
fighters and clear them out.
Drive Balloons Down.
British losses have been running
recently as high as thirty to forty
machines day because Of the extra
ordinary chances taken over the en-
emy's lines, according to the major.
As a rule. they go out in squadrons of
six. divided into three pairs, and pre-
pared to swoop down in unison on any
German machine that may come up.
Major Rees gave it as his opinion
that the British had defeated the
Germans in every way in the air and
deprived them of invaluable recon
naissance power. The Zeppelin, he
said, is now virtually useless as mil
itary weapon. Raids over undefended
places in England still continue oc-
casionally. but the defenses Of forti-
fled bases are so powerful that 1t is
almost certain destruction for Yep
pelin to come near them. They are
virtually never used near the battle
lines.
Germany's whole military observa-
tion, Major Rees declared, is con-
Quoted by means of captive balloons
A short time ago the British and
French made combined attack at 4
p. m. and knocked down every cap
tive balloon from the North sea to
Switzerland. Not for three days did
another balloon appear in sight, he
said.
Pilots can be trained in about
three months, according to Major
Rees and should be from 10 to 25
years old, weighing not much over
100 pounds.
Came TO Advise Americans.
Major Rees said that the purpose
of his coming to Washington with the
war mission was largely to tell the
American aviation experts of the re-
suits Of England's two and a half
years Of experience in flying. All the
patents and designs used in British |
machines, he said. would be availa-
BILE to this government with any other
information in possession of the Brit |
ish flying corps. Many American
machines are in use in England for
training purposes. but none on the
line. The American engines, |
In Major Rees' opinion, have devel- |
oped to noteworthy extent, but the |
rest of the American machine natur-
ally has not been submitted to all the |
tests which the allied machines have
had to meet, and Is not so fast or so |
great weight carrier.
England at the beginning Of the
war. the major said was supposed to
have squadron Of twelve machines
for each Of the six army divisions, but |
as matter of fact she had only
three. The service was very chaotic,
with the army and the navy bidding
against each other until the whole
air service was put under the air
board, composed Of neutral presi-
dent. an army and n navy official and
. member Of the rnunitions board.