New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-01
Fell Three Aeros and
Put the Rest to
Flight
Balloons Destroyed
Daring Attacks by Haig's Air
men Clear Sky of
Enemy

British Headquarters in FRANCE,
April 90.-Out of the high, thin air,
where the fighting birdmen fly in
sort Of dream world of adventure, have
come within the last few days still
more wondrous stories of dauntless
deeds and feats of aerial fitting to
spread the welcome glamour Of romance
over the more sordid side of the war.
Above the British lines and far within
the enemy territory the blue spring
skies have been filed with daring
planes that seem to fash in and out
among the bits Of floating cloud with
the speed Of the very sunbeams that
sparkle and play upon their silver sides
and all but transparent wings.
Practically all the visible machines
bear the red, white and blue target
markings of the Allies. 1t is seldom
that hostile battle birds with the NAL
tese Cross upon their spreading wings
venture across the fighting lines.
The British sviators report that it is
very difficult just now TO get the Ger
man aviators into close fighting. They
say that the Germans appear unwilling
TO engage in that sort of warfare and
continually attempt to break off the
combats.
British Filters Attack Foe
Two fast British machines far in the
enemy's domain saw what appeared TO
be great flock Of German planes
headed toward the British lines. The
two British airmen climbed couple
OF thousand feet to have better look
at the strangers. They then saw that
it was formation of fourteen ma
chimes composed of fighting scouts and
heavier two-seaters, probably intent
upon a bombing raid. The odds were
rather heavy against them, but the
British fiers decided to have go at
the hostile airmen. For three-quarters
of an hour there followed an extraor-
binary battle.
Having faster and better manpuvring
machines than anything In the German
formation, the young Brltons played
about their fourteen enemies like pair
of giant hornets. They dived at them
time and time again, firing bursts OF
machine gun bullets as they passed.
With superior speed and climb, the
British machines were able to adopt
such tactics as suited their purpose,
and from the moment Of the first at
tack the formation of the German ma
chimes began to break up.
Germans Disorganized
After two Of their machines had been
set on fire and destroyed and third
sent spinning down TO an sundoubted
fatal crash, the hostile squadron was
completely disorganized, the surviving
machines turning about and making for
home.
Another story has TO do with the
narrow escape Of young British navsl
airman, who sailed forth on recon ,
bright afternoon TO "strafe" Ger
man balloon he saw in the air some
distance back Of their fighting lines.
when he got near the balloon II was
only twenty feet from the ground, but
he Owed for it, despite the protecting
machine guns, which were sending up
perfect fountains Of steel jacketed
bullets.
The balloon began TO smoke in sew
eral places, and the British airman
was diving at it again when his engine
was hit. The navy chap managed 70
get himself home like wounded
pigeon, nevertheless, crossing the hght-
ing lines at less than fifty feet.
One pilot described the sensation Of
passing through firing zone as sim
liar TO that received in a small boat
rocking upon the swell Of a fast pass
ing steamer. often the pilots OF ar
tiliery observing machines have been
able TO catch glimpses Of the slow NOV
ing heavy howitzer shells.
" is related of one of the British
pilots that some time ago he saw q
big German howitzer shell coming APP
parently direct for him. IL whizzed by
harmlsssly, however, but the pilot was
so angry that he spotted that particular
gun. Owed at II and fired an entire
drum OF machine gun bullets at the
crew. He hadn't time TO SIP. 70 see
what damage, If any, his vengefulness