New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-24
Giant Airplanes
Trump Cards of
Allies, Is Belief
Hope of Entente Lies in the
Ability to Break German
Communications
Could Move Troops
$4,000 Men Might Be Landed
Behind Foes Line to
Destroy Railroads
By G. w. Gilbert

WASHINGTON, Oct. 2S.-Are the
big Italian airplanes, like the biplane
which made the sensational fight from
| here TO New York with nine passen-
gers, and the still bigger triplane
which is still here and is capable Of
carrying forty persons, the type OF
aircraft that will win the war; Do
they represent the next stage in aerial
fighting? These questions are being
asked here to-day.
Military critics Of both the Allies
and the Germans have been insisting
for some time that the way out OF the
existing deadlock in Europe is to
change the present war from one of
frontal attack to one upon communi-
cations. And in its virtual effect that
is what Germany already has done in
making its big offensive effort Of the
recent months one with submarines
against the lines of supply by which
the armies in France are munitoned
and the nations upon which the
armies depend are fed. The U-boat
war is war upon communications.
Aviation Importance Growing
For the Allies to make war upon
Germany's communications requires
some further development of aerial
warfare, and English military critics
have been severe upon the military
authorities of that country for not
realizing the possibilities of the air
plane for this purpose. The feeling
Is so strong in England that the ut
most has not been made Of aerial war
faro that it is proposed to take con
troll Of aircraft away from the army
and navy and create a new division
Of the national defence, on the ground
that there is just as much reason for
the separate control of war In the
air as there is for separate control of
war on the land and war on the sea.
The air is a different element, and
the full possibilities OF nghtlng in it,
il is urged. will not be realized until
the air service is an independent ser
vice. The same arguments were made .
in this country when IL was proposed I
to create a Cabinet head Of the air
service. But the army and navy in I.
huenee here was too strong to permit /
OF the creation Of new service, Just I
as 1T appears too strong In England
Could Transport Armies
For the possibilities of the airplane .
in making war upon communications .
it is pointed out that craft Of the .
capacity Of the Italian tri- /
plane could move armies about rapidly |
in the rear of the German lines. Par !
ties OF fifty thousand might be trans
ported on machines carrying from
forty to fifty men each, and destroy
railroad lines and terminals in the .
rear of the German armies and depart .
before they could be attacked. An /
adequate air force of this sort would .
have the enemy at its mercy
The whole present tendency in air /
plane development is in the direction .
Of larger and more powerful planes. ,
Aircraft that were planned when this /
country began to form its programme 1
are obsolete to-day, and 50 are the en- /
gines with which it was proposed to
equip them. The biggest development
of the fighting plane has been the sub I
stitution of the "two place" battle /
plane for the zone place" plane-that /
is to say, the plane carrying two men
for the one carrying one. Germany for
a while led with the "two place"
fighter and gained the ascendancy.
Perhaps she still has the advantage in
the air. Many here in Washington be
lieve she has.