Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-26
BIG AIR SQUADRONS
FLY IN formation.
Take Place of Single Fighting
Machines in Most of
Maneuvers.
THEIR ADVANTAGE EXPLAINED
Provides Protection Against
Aerial Attack by En- e
envy Flyers. ~
THEIR ADVANTAGE EXPLAINED

LONDON. August 25.-Formidabie air
squadrons have now taken the place
of single lighting machines for mort
purposes along the war front. Why
these air formations are used and
how they operate arc explained by .
British aviator as follows: $3.50.
Machines suitable for heavy bombs
dropping are necessarily slow. com.
pared with thoroughgoing lighters. 70
lift the bombs great spread Of wings
surface Is. needed, and powerful ems
Gines. This makes the machines heavy
to handle. er-y'
One boulb-dropper setting out alone
nowadays would not get far. Half ii
dozen small and agile scouts would
soon be on his tail. and diving on his
forward blind spots" where the wing
comes between the pilot and tho at
tacker. r.t
Tho only method Is to send either
an escort Of scouts or several bomb
droppers flying In formation. sI.s.
The objection to sending scouts Is
that they do not ordinarily carry
enough petrol to enable them to carry
out the long shows" that arc usual.
ly the lot Of the bomb dropper.
On tho other hand. formation dying
p'N'AoSo projection against
aerial attack. No hostile machine cau
approach without coming under the
fire of at least two other machines.
Blind spots ara practically elimi-
mated. ~
The only remedy Is to break UP the
formation either by aptiaircraft .arA
or by aerial tactics. This tho forma-
ton will most strenuously resist. for
The strength of tho pack Is tho wolf,
But tho strength OF the wolf Is the
pack" $3.50
Individual machines which DROP out
OF place stand more chance of failing
prey to moro agile foes. ~,,.4
FORMATION FLYING 80
NEEDS MUCH PRACTICE
Formation flying needs much praS-
ticc. 1t is not an easy art to learn OF
to carry out neatly.
At first you arc sent out in small
groups. with orders to keep vol away
from the lines. li.tS.s5
When you set of. each man climba
|'to, the stated Rretfrninary height ana
tries to Pfck up his position. This FL
not always easy. The leader is cir.
cling round and round tho aerodronre.
and there Is much spare rooms Other
machines are trying to get position Or
are coming up from below. and care
full mnneuverinG is needed to avoid
collisions. Every now and then you
will strike the "backwash- oftaA-
other machine and get thrown all over
the place. ~
Besides this. all machines are Aif-
ferent, even machines Of the same ttype
Some will climb. and others will mot.
One pilot may be beautifully in posi-
ton from one point of view! but. \
thousand feet too low, and round and
round goes the formation until no Is
In place. 1t is no use expecting him
to pick up his place once tho forma-
ton has really started away.
Another pilot may be too high, am
other too far behind and putting Others
out.
Later you learn how to maneuver as
n formation, turning to right and loft
without losing position. The outer
ones must cut the corners and this
inner ones hold up and almost STALL
At first 1t is enough merely to ny
straight and keep height and position.
One pilot, although experienced. after
practicing lighting in formation for
the first time, came down quite shaken
up. That Is the most. dangerous
thing I ever tried" he said; .T'd sooner
go over the lines alone any day."
1t takes time to produce team work.
FINE SIGHT TO SEE
MACHINES GO OFF
But when 1t Is learned 1t Is q me
sight to see the machines go off. ..,is.a
They all stand out in rows in the
acrodrome. Busy mechanics surround
them. The pilots Chamber in-they
have already looked their machines
over. Ono by one. close after each
other. away they go. They climb and
pick up their positions. s,e7j
The signal Is given, the formation
is correct. OF II goves, climbing.
climbing up to the height at whtchs'it
Is to travel.
And then comes the long trip. There
Is the lodging among ARCHES" when
every machine In the squadron goes
sliding right and left.
As you cross the lines the shrapn1f
will be bursting around you In groups
OF six, and at your level, oven though
you fly at different height every
day. Yet the squadron as a whole
must keep It's formation or be dc.
stroyed piecemeal
Then there is the time when each
must aid the other to beat off aerial
attacks. and still not get enticed of. on
individual stunts" II any one docs
he will be singled out as prey for sew.
eral, and will leave others exposed.
1t is difficult work. ~
The strength of tho won is the
pack"