The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-04-25
40 German
Airplanes
Destroyed
British Perform Stupendous
Feats in Air Over
Battle Fields.

Elected in the air and the British royal
flying corps yesterday established a
new record by bringing down 40 Ger
man machines. Fifteen of these were
actually seen to crash. while % col
lapsed or fell in spinning nose dives,
completely out of control
The fights took place $4,000 feet in
the air. from which distance 1t is bare
ly possible to see the ground and
wholly impossible to see an adversary
crash unless the pilot deliberately fol-
lows down Such is not feasible where
tho fighting has taken on the char
acter of n general melee, as is now
adays often the ease. A remarkable
part of yesterdays performance is
that only two British machines are
missing.
1t was the finest day for war flying
day they have been at II again since
sunrise. but the full reports of their
exploits are not yet IN.
1t is known, however that one in
trcpid young flier, failing to find a
single German observation balloon
the ground. dived at it and set the
big gas bag ablaze from stem to stern.
No Hiding Places.
Since Sunday the British airmcn
have been revelling in weather they
have long desired. Not a cloud was
in the sky today behind which n Ger
man could shelter. Deprived of that
means OF digging themselves in," the
German flyers were far scarcer than
usual and very difficult to find Brit
ish machines were everywhere along
the battle front and far behind tho
German lines. Bombing raids were
carried out As miles back. the ma
chimes deliberately flying over ground
where battles We're raging with the
greatest fury.
German trains rushing reinforce
| 'nents to the front were attacked and
transport columns on the roads were
bombed and completely disorganizcd.
| In several instances the British ma
chimes came low over the fighting
| lines and poured machine gun fire into
| the German ranks. In doing this, ma -
| chimes have deliberately crossed the
| fire of their own as well as the en-
emy's guns.
Yesterday one British pilot. after
| bringing down two Germans and with
al his ammunition gone, descended
reloaded, filled up his petrol tanks and
took to the air again. Within half an
| hour he had brought down his third
| machine for that day. Another pilot
Felled two machines, while the other
- were divided among a similar mum
her of British pilots.
Greatest Fight Of All.
The greatest fight yesterday. oddly
'nough. was a drawn battle one OF
the British pilots met Il brilliant Ger
man flier and for a full hour they
Unanswered in a most marvellous man
nor, without either being able to bring
his gun to bear on the other. The,
rolled. looped twisted dclibcratel,
stalled their engines. and standing tho
machines on their tail. slid backward
through the air, but all to no avail. II
r0Pably was the most wonderful all
dua the war has yet seen.
The British pilot reported today tina
several times he felt sure he woult
get his adversary between his sights
but the latter invariably wriggled on
of the line of fire. The British file,
himself was kept busy avoiding tn,
German and once he had to dive al
most perpendicuarly The combat di,
not break off until both pilots ha,
: fairly exhausted themselves and thci
petrol.
Strangely enough later in the da,
another British pilot encountered tn
same machine. The Britisher wa
: winging his way home after a har,
days work. but he jockcycd the Ger
man machine for nearly a quarter o
an hour before flying on.
7 Only Got a RABBIT"
In strange contrast to this was tn
experience of one Britisher who some
I what pcevishly complained last nigh
, that Il only got a rabbit" He ex
f planned by saying that while his op
, ponent had a good machine he was
clumsy fellow and couldn't fight at al
and was sent spinning with the firs
burst of gunfire. Still another pile
mounted Il fast, new machine and d,
lberately allowed II German to get O
his trail. Then he suddenly looped bo
hind his adversary and caught hin
. Just within the sights. the burst
fire killing the German Instant
The machine sWeryed and the dea
y man pitched out 10000 feet from Il
ground.