Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-05-31
.AIRMEM BATTLE
ABOVE CLOUDS
ALLIED Av'AroRs Rour GER.
MANS IN E,eHT THREE AND
oNE-HALF MILES IN AIR.
ATTACK TEUToNlc FOES
OVER THEIR OWN LINES
Send Men and Machines Crashing to
Ground Far eeiow-Attacks Made in
Line Formation at Dizzy Heishts--
Graphic Description by Associated
Press Correspondent.
[By Associated Press. ]

by Associated Pressl
British Front in France. May 81
The recent hull in the lighting has had
no effect whatever upon the British
aerial offensive, which continues day
and night with unrelenting intensity.
In the last few days there have
been witnessed some of the most des-
perate air battles of the entire war
One or two OF these have been fought
at the unprecedented height of 49,
600 feet. or more than three and one
half miles from the earth.
Recently there was a duel in which
a British pilot having run out of am
munition for his machine gun. got
close enough to his antagonist to shoot
him down with his revolver. This in
cident served to recall the fact that
when the war began the only weapons
which aerial pilots had were pistols
and carbines.
Reach Dizzy Heights.
Commenting today on the dazzling
occur nowadays. a pilot sa i'd that when
he first went to war in 1914, he flew
machine which took an hour and
quarter to reach 5000 feet.
THAT'S nothing said one of his
comrades, the old bus l had in those
days couldn't reach 5000 feet at all"
The airplane which could not ne
sotiatc iJ.4U1 ieet well under ten min
utes would be scrapped quickly now
A notable feature OF the air fighting
In the last ten days has been the ten
dsncy of the German machines 10
break in pieces soon after being shot
out of control.
German Losses Heavy.
The toll of German machines de-
stroyed In May will amount far into
the hundreds. In last Sundays fight
Ing alone thirty were accounted for.
Fifteen were seen to crash ito the
ground. fourteen were driven down
out OF control and one was
shot down by artillery.
One OF the melees on Sunday be-
tween six British and eight German
was as thrilling as any
aerial battle ever fought, II was at
lose quarters thruout-so close, in
md fighting pilots could look each
'ther sauarely in the eyes.
No sooner would a British pilot
iwoop up to the tail of one of the
German machines than another Ger
nan was on his tail. This German In
urn would almost Immediately have
mother British pilot pouring bursts
# machine gun bullets at him At one
lime seven machines were following
zach other in headlong fashion toward
Earth.
Attacks First Machine.
1t WAS nearly S o'clock in the eve
ing when. the British offensive patrol
sighted the eight Germans. we'll over
led. but were eventually oyerhauled
md brouz;I; 10 combat. The COM
nander of the British formation dived
1t the nearest German. but the latter
urned sharply beneath him and es-
,aped the first burst of fire.
The commander then attacked an
,ther machine just In front Of him.
pouring in many rounds at ranges
from fifty TO twenty yards.
rhe German went down 1000 yards in
! spin, then turned over and contin-
led TO fall. completely out OF control.
BY this time another hostile aircraft
vas on the commanders tail. He tried
% shake off the German. but could not
10 so, and deliberately went down in
, spin. When he iattened out he found
he German still with him, and SO he
again went down in spin.
British Pilot to Rescue.
The German was then attacked by
! British pilot who had followed him
1own and sat on his tail. flooding his
machine with bullets until he went
.umbIing TO earth, swaying back and
'orth like a piece okpaper in a gale.
. Spinning and diving, this remark
ible battle kept up until three Germans
rad been shot down.
The others having fied.l the British
patrol reformed without single cas-
ialty. The pilot who brought down a
with seven shots from his
automatic pistol already had accounted
or two other Germans. making a rec
,rd Of three for the day.
Shell Wrecks Engine.
One Of the most remarkable escapes
rom death, which a pilot ever had,
today. While over the Ger
nan lines his machine waO hit by q
,heii, which tore hole thru 1t and ex-
ploded on the engine. wrecking 1t.
The pilots leg was fractured in two
places. but he brought his machine
back over the lines to within five feet
II ground. where he lost consciousness
and crashed to earth.
The machine was SO shot about that
the men who extricated the young fier
had to pull him thru the hole which
the shell had made.
Nightly British hiers drop tons OF
bombs on military establishments back
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