Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-10-04
BRITISH FLYERS pATROL TIE AIR
 ABOVE LONDON
Every Airplane Pilot is Re quired to Take 8 Course
 In Night Flights.

Correspondence Associated Press)
 An Aerodrome in Southeastern England, Sept. 24.-TWo principal fac tors in eliminating the midnight Iep- pelin raids on London and other Brit
 ah raids on London perfection of night living b4 British aifpiahe pilots and the nutlipIication of small airpiane stations From these stations powar- ful air craft could be sent up like hor- nets to cover every possible avenue of approach whenever the Zeppelin fleet attempted invasion. Probably the full story of the elaborate and pains- taking steps by which the Zeppelin menace was overcome, will not be full ly told until after the war. It is now known, however, that every airplane pilot in the British army and navy Is required to spend certain number of hours of his course of training in night f ying in the most varied conditions. A visit to one of these small air plane outpost stations, housing onV two machines, on night when a raid- CT was sighted off the coast and there was bit of work" to bed one. show CT how they guarded England against night attack.
 
 drawn from their hangars and rolled out ready to be called to work, the work which involves such a strain as has never before been endured by man or wood or iron Both machines were fully equipped with machine guns already loaded, aerial torpedoes and flares for landing purposes The en- zines were turned to perfection.
 In tiny office adjoining the hanger sat the officer in charge of the sta tion. Within reach of his right hand was the telephone, and on the desk in front of him litter of books and pa pers dealing with the personnel of the eWo areoplanes.
 It was just after midnight when the silence was at last broken by the sharp telephone bell. If the message is an order from headquarters, the first words must be the authorized pass word for the night as a guarantee of it's authenticity, The officer took off the receiver and listened.
 For America is he word Zeppe- lins sighted over North sea travelling north fifty miles from the coast Good night.'
 The officers hung up the receiver and hurried out along behind the han ears 10 the tent
 Wake up. you sleepy devils" he said, 'zepps out skylarking."
 The two pilots who were next in turn rose and quickly dressed. Five minutes later they were out beside their machines drinking a steaming can of hot coffee. They climbed in the engines sputtered the whole framework quivered under the strain of the curhed power Released they moved, gathered speed, rose quickly off inc ground and disappeared into the darkness of the night.
 From below all that could be seen was the stars plotted from sight. first one. then another, as the anplanes eireled around gaining their height. They turned eastward and scared out toward the sea. past the town be- heath the cliffs, while far below pass ed q streak of rcd, the midnight train for London. still higher they climb ! ed, until the cold became intense, crlss-crossing back and forth over their allotted "beat', always on the lookout for the enemy
 No sign if the raiders was to he seen, hut the two policemen Of the sky remained aloft until petrol aud oil began to set low in thoii gauges. Then they turned homewarl and gid, | cd quietly to earth. The laadm. was effected after just twt hoGre aloft.