The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-03-23
AVAFORS WORKING
HARD IN TRAINING
Army Getting It's Eyes Ready
For Coming Fight With
kaiser's Hosts


Uncle Sam is engaged in making
sharper the "eycs of his army and
here, on the Panama Canal Zone and at
North Island, on the Pacific Coast,
aviators are being trained Cor the war
work that is coming down when we get
to grips with the Germans. Capt. D. T..
Curry, in command Of the sixth ayia-
,tion squadron is hard at work at Fort
kamehameha, while Capt. II. II. Arnold
has been ordered from San Diego train
ing school to. take charge Of the work
of protecting the Zone, and left for
that post the first of last month.
At the North Island government avia-
ton school, near San Diego, CALIFORNIA;,
whore a short time ago Tiers we're do.
zen aiTplanes in commission, there are
now forty uP'to-date Martin and Curtiss
Tractors and two steel battleplanes busy
asa swarm of bees. And there are now
about one hundred of the aircraft cir
cling San Diego bay. For the war de-
partment has issued orders that avia-
tors are to be trained with all speed,
ard officers expect any day to receive
orders that will send to Hawaii and the
Canal Zone air fleets to aggregate one
hundred capable craft.
Meantime, in anticipation of the ex,
peeted orders, North Island is a scene
of tremendous activity every day, say
reports TO the local army officers. IL
is not unusual to see as many as fifteen
airplanes--for there are no aeroplanes
in "A nv l,,,rs n1. In. n
morning. as students are being trained.
Each week three or four carloads of
new airplanes arrive at the school, and
every day new students appear to take
up the rigorous routine. There are now
ffty-four students in training, and the
school has a capacity of sixty, which
is to be enlarged. Connected with the
school, also, are seventy, officers and
$40 enlisted men-about twice Us many
rs six months ago.
Large Expenditures y.psH eis4
The signal for increased activity in
army aviation was given last October,
/ when congress made $13,000,000 avail
able for this branch of service. Huge
sums have been expended since then,
and are being expended now. With
the North Island air feet much en-
larged, more orders for machines are
being placed, and 434 airplanes and
seaplanes, including every type of mill
tary aircraft manufactured in the
country, are now being built for the
government. The capacity Of the
machine shops at North Island has
been doubled, Quarters for the en-
listed men have been much enlarged.
New rules for speeding up the train,
ing have been adopted. The school
has been put on practical war foot
ing; all visitors must pass guard
and none are allowed beyond GER
tain point, particularly in the vicinity
of the hangers and repair shops.
OF the ffty-four students now in
training the most advanced class, ten
officers, will take the graduation tests,
known as the junior military aviatofs
test, this week. The ordeal will in
clude sixty-mile cross-eountry iaunts
Another class Of a dozen men win
take the junior military aviators' tests
about the second week in April. These
will probably be assigned TO the Sixth
and Seventh Aero squadrons--organ.
lied for duty at the canal and in
Hawaii. ga h. tatl
Have to Work Hard #
"It's a6case of get up early and
work hard for the men in training al
North Island. The students are re.
quired to fly from six-thirty O'Clock
until eleven fifty o'clock in the Tnor,,
ing. These students now use two land.
ing places, and a third will shortly be
arranged at the site of the old Curtiss
school, which win mean that the whole
of North Island will be given over
to the men in training. Ta ig,.al
The school has been equipped with q
new gun camera for aerial photography
The camera is fitted with regular our
sights and is operated by a trigger. Az
an altitude of 10000 feet, the Gamers
which is fitted with telescope sights
can photograph one square mile OF
terrain. Sergt. J. s. Frewer, probably
the most skilled aerial photographer in
America, operates the camera. =. ;.
Most of the airplanes purchased fol-
the school are Cnrtiss and Martin bip
lanes, There are, however, two 1885
horsepower, allsteel SturteyaRt battle
planes. A sea,sled, speed boat of the
most approved style, is one of the recel Al
acquisitions at the school, to be used
in emergency in case of accident on the
bay 'Phe sea-sled has speed of thirty
I've miles an hour. s
In an observation tower at one side
of the feld, the instructors sit and
watch every move of the students in
the air, making note of their faults in
gliding, spirahng or landing. Men
mounted on motorcycles stand ready ia
90 to plane in case of engine trouble
One of the Innovations made at the
school is the institution of field Off
GERS school,, the course in which GOV,
ers period of six weeks. One class
of six officers has finished the course
but the conditions the past month have
not permitted the organization Of =
second class. The officers are from the
infantry and other branches OF the
army, and are sent to North Island
that they may become familiar with
the work of the aviation branch, SC
that aero squadrons may more success,
fully be used in conjunction with in.
fantry and artillery movements. ..
Col. William. A. Glassford, who has
been in command at the school since
last April and under whom most of
the big changes have been brought
about, will be retired from active ser.