Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1917-07-28
THE AIRCRAFT'S
IMPORTANCE IS
GROWING FAST

REV YORK. July 2s.-AviatIon has
made vast progress in the third year
OF the war. The keen competition in
the great struggle has been responsi-
BILE for this remarkable advance. Va
rious types OF aeroplanes have sup
planted each other in quick success
siont No sooner has q new type been
designed than q faster plane has been
built. -. 81.
The progress Of aviation has empha-
sized more sharply the absolute need
OF planes and dirigibles for the army
and navy. Time after time battles
have been won and lost, concerted
drives held back or pushed ahead. be-
cause Of the aeroplanes.
Battles have been fought in alti-
tudes ever rising to the present record
OF some 10000 feet above the level of
the sea and there has developed dex-
terity in manipulating machines in
the air such as but few men dreamed
Vi le" YEARS paCh-
Early in the fall OF 1916 the race
between the allies and Germany in
the air fight became keener than ever.
Experts speeded up their efforts to
improve existing types OF planes, with
the result that old machines were
either sent back TO the training camps
or to the junk pile; more and more
men were garnered in for training as
,aviators, and factories were told TO
hustle as they never did before.
This boom in aviation was further
augmented by the entry OF the United
States in the war. Factories capable
Of producing aeroplanes, but keeping
aloof because the United States was
not involved, changed their position,
as might have been expected, and
prepared to turn out planes by the
hundred TO aid in the defeat OF Ger
many.
It was the virtually unanimous
opinion among military authorities
that an influx OF thousands OF Ameri'
can aeropIanes with trained aviators
along the western front would beat
Germany without question. 1t was
explained that they could raid the
German depots and munitions centres
and cause such damage as TO force
Germany TO sue for peace.
The Fokker was the first plane pro-
duced under the exigencies of the war
situation; II had high speed, and with
Il was introduced the idea Of hring
bullets from a machine gune through
the propeller OF the machine. Later
the Fokkers were made useless BY
new British machines, and these were
inferior to new German types, and Sc
on.
All the good points of the war ma
chimes, combined with latest devel
opments by foremost scientists ant
Inventors of all the powers, have beer
made over every few months into
still newer type. The latest German
battIeplanes are known as two
Tails" and Hans and Fritz"-hug'
tractor biplanes Of 200 horsepowe
manned by two gunners and pilot
They worked with great success until
the French avions came along.
The first of these was also 20
horsepower; II mounted thirty-seve'
millimetre quick.frer gun aimed b
maneuvring the whole airship, an
for a brief spell II was master OF tn
air. Then came big German machine
: with a gun firing grapeshot, In add
ton to two machine guns. They wer
too fast for the Avion to catcl
France came back with a specif
aeroplane destroyer-"The Avion d
Chasse" simply racing airplane.
SO keen has become this compel
ton that the number Of rasualtie
has depended, TO n great extent, o
, the placing OF the gun. The Frenc
E brought down many Of the enemy b
mounting the gun on top OF the plan
3 The Germans, in their latest yentur
r have followed this lead and added
i Il n rifle that is swivelled so that the
Q can shoot backward as well as
T either side.
D So fast has been the race betwee
!, the contesting powers that neith'