The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-05-31
Thrilling EXPLOITS
COMMON FOR A|Rn|EN
Extraordinary Stunt" Nee
essary to Attract Atten-
ton Nowadays.
PILOTS ARE KNOWN
Soldiers Eagerly Follow the
Course of Most Daring
Birdmen.

soCidteu I-TeSS.)- III IL service ike tHc
flying corps the standard Of values Is
on very different plane from that
of average lay minds" writes a Brit
ish military expert from the front.
What is little short Of miraculous to
the uninitiated is but a commonplace
to the airman, and a pilots achieve
ment must be very fine indeed before
1t is regarded with undue interest by
his fellows, far less by himself
This enlarged perspective has ex-
tended. though to a less degree, to the
soldiers in the trenches, to whom the
antics of an airplane, or squadron Of
airplanes, have long since cseased to
be novelty. But sometimes an un-
definable touch of class about the
manner in which a pilot handles his
machine Immediately attracts the at
tention Of the men below, and the
whole trench here will be filled with
eager and observant spectators watch
ing his every maneuver.
''He" 10 Coming.
EVERY plane coming up from the
rear Is earnestly scanned until its iden-
tity is established, and once 1t Is known
that he is coming, the soldiers lean
back on the fire step. and wonder what
new stunt will be introduced for their
delectation. The pilot in turn seems
conscious Of what is expected of him.
and the more cheerfully takes his
risks among the Arches because it
provides the tired trench dweller with
q little mild amusement.
"One such. pilot existed just at the
time when the Germans introduced
their much over-rated FOkker This
type of machine. and the tactics
evolved with it, certainly scored an
initial success against some British
airmen. But improved planes are con-
stantly being brought out. and each
side has always in use a certain num-
Der of machines inferior to the later
enemy planes. When the two types
come into conflict the odds are natur-
ally in favor OF the better machine
Supremacy in the air, however, de-
Ponds more on the skill and resource
fulness Of the pilot than on the quail
ity of the airplane he flies, and it is
to such resourceful men that the Brit
| ish owe their undenia BILE supremacy of
the air. a supremacy often challenged,
but never broken, even when for the
time the Germans have had the better
type of machine.
The fame of the pilot mentioned
was not confined to any particular
sector. the whole line knew of his
exploits. His name was never men,
toned in print at home. but out in
France in every rest camp village
and town. men chuckled hugely over
his doings. and were greatly cheered
thereby. Here is one of them.
A Clever Ruse.
"A British machine was engaged on
| a reconnaissance over the German lines
| when it was attacked by two Fokkers.
| The observer saw the first Fokker
coming and used his gun so well that
| the German fluttered down to earth
sorely damaged. The second Fokker,
however dived right behind the Brit
ish machine, and so deluged it with
| machine-gun fire that the pilot had
no course left but to attempt a forced
landing. The German quickly recov-
cred from his dive and was coming
back to finish off his adversary when
our pilot dived from behind the clouds.
, The German saw him coming, banked
sharply and started to climb.
| The Briton stalled has machine, and
managed to put several shots into the
enemy from beneath. One shot killed
the observer; another put the engine
out of commission. and the Fokker.
MORALLY hit nose dived steeply, throw
| ing the dead observer out into mid air
The pilot managed to regain control
before his machine crashed. and con-
trived to effect landing OF some sort.
But our pilot was not finished with
him. He circled overhead until the
German had got clear of his machine.
sprayed the F'okker with machine gun
fire till it burst into flames. He then
started to climb
Clouds of German anti-aircraft
shells pursued him, but he managed to
get right over the German firing line
before shell burst near enough to in
jure him. His machine stopped in its
course, its nose fell, and down 1t went.
diving steeply to earth. A thousand
feet, five hundred. two hundred! Ev-
eryone's heart jumped in expectation
of the crash. Then the plane righted
Along the German line it sped. faster
than swallow, and Its machine gun
spat venomously into the crowded
trenches. 1t was only n ruse, just an
other flight Of the genius which marked
the pilot from the ordinary. and as he
mounted hcavenwards and flew to-
wards the safety Of his own lines. hi
leaned over from his seat and gaily
waved his hand to the baffled foe"
|