New-York tribune., 1917-12-02
Map Used in Training Aviators
Miniature of the Western Front
Flight Lectures to H. S. Cadets in Canada illustrated by
Practical Work Over Sector in Belgum-Course at
Aeronautical Schools Covers Eight Weeks
By Donnell Dunbar Avirett

TORONTO, Dec. i.-Everywhere IN
Toronto one sees them-those stra ght,
clean-cut, manly young chaps, with their
distinguishing broad-brimmed hats
"the Yankee boys as the Canadians
call them-who are members Of United
states army flying corps in training
with the Canadian branch of the Royal
Flying Corps. The "cadet"-this being
the term used TO designate the flying
student from the enlisted man-wears
white band around his hat. The en-
listed men-men who do not fy. except
in particular cases, but who are Sc
lccted from cx-nachinists, chaufcurs,
automobile workmen and others who
have the possibility Of developing into
mechanicians. ready TO cure all i'll
ncsses Of motors-wear the orange and
white nat cord Of the signal corps,
and all wear, strip OF red on the
shoulder strep TO show that they are Of
visiting" troops as distinguished from
transient soldiers over for few days.
Many we'll known families in the
United States are represented among
these officers Captain c. J. Ryan, son
Of Thomas +. Ryan; Lieutenant d. A..
Wells, we'll known New York banker;
Lieutenant ". S. Stokes, Philadelphia,
polo player Of national reputation;
| Lieutenant +. $. Pou, son OF Senator
Pou, of South Carolina, and Lieutenant
Henry Bangs, nephew of John Kendrck
Bangs.
Captain D. L. Roscoe, the command
ing officer of the United States men in
Canada, has seen twenty-three years
service in the army, and wears many
decorations. He was on active service
in China, the Philippines and Cuba, and
holds a masters certificate in the navy,
where he served four and half years.
Trained by Veterans
Our men are working with the Cana
dans and being instructed by officers
of the Royal Flying Corps sent over
from England, nearly all of whom have
seen service at the front. A cadet
receives preliminary instruction at the
cadet wing at Long Branch and the
School of Military Aeronautics, which
is connected with the University OF
Toronto. When the courses at these
points are completed the cadet goes
to the aviation camp at Deseronto for
his elementary flying experience. The
camps at Leaside and Armour Heights
are for more advanced students. All
cadets, however, must go to Camp Bor-
den for final training and aerial ma
chine gunnery practice before they can
qualify as flying officers.
The course at the Military School OF
Aeronaut.cs covers a period Of from siI
TO eight weeks and includes practical
work, demonstrations and lectures on
theory of fight, astronomy, air cur
rents, wireless, the compass, machine
guns, bombing, artillery observation
and. photography. AS rule, the ca
diets take all their ground work" at
the University of Toronto, and the
mechanics get their theoretical train
ing there and then go to the various
aviation camps for practical work.
In the engine flight room five types
OF motors were being studied-two
French rotary engines, Clerget and
Monosoupe; two English, the K. A. T.,
made by the Royal Aircraft Factory
and the B. II. P, and the American en-
gine. the Curtiss. In the room Of aerial
gunnery the men were similarly under
going a complete education in the ma
chine gun. working with the Lewis gun
and the English, the Vickers.
Learning to Bomb
In another room different types oil
bombs were on display for inspection
and study; a pound petrol bomb;
an incendiary bomb weighing ten
mounds, with a tail fuse; a Cooper
bomb Of twenty pounds, and cast
steel bomb weighing 1l2 pounds. A
bomb sight was there also, through
which. on the side Of his machine, the
aier can sight the bomb before re-
leasing IL from the rack in which 1t Is
carried. Here the men get practice IN
homb dropping. In the centre OF the
room is a Curtiss machine, fitted with
miniature bomb sight and bomb no
longer than a finger, with a point like
pin.
Under the machine is a large square
Of canvas painted to represent the land
scane of a certain section OF country
as IL looks from the height Of several
thousand feet. This canvas is mount,
Cd ON rollers, so it can be quickly and
easily moved. The cadet climbs into
the machine, picks a tarket point on
tho man. 80. X" they call il, and while
the landscape is being rapidly moved
hack and forth to give the same enec'
AZ if he were flying. sights the ooHu
and drops il. In this way he gets prac'
tice in accuracy of sighting ana drop
ping bombs. ,. v.,.
hang ciyen on the construction Of the
e;rnione. H A complete skeleton Of It's
wopden parts was in the centre OF the
room The instructing officer named
IA J described each part in detail, while
the students seated around IN q circle
wero wei busily jotting down all this in,
Cormation in their notebooks. Several