The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-31

way that the full We1ght was sup |
ported by the upper surface-by the |
wires which in most machines are sup
posed merely to support the weight OF
the wings when the machines is on the
ground.
eyes, tho Spad is well-built ma
chine, the nearest thing to perfection
in point of strength, speed, and climb
ing power I've seen yet. Of course,
il s heavy, and that S why they put
150-230 horse power in them. The
other school, that of light machine
with light motor, depending for its
success on lack of weight rather than
excess of power, may supplant the
heavier machine in time;tI can t tell.
yesterday there was a review here
in honor of Guynemer, and decorations
for the pilots of the group who had
won them. Three Americans received
the Croix de Observation-Disclosures of the
Lafayette Escadrille. Lufberry, the
American ace. carried the American
flag presented to the escadrille by Mrs.
McAdoo and the employees of the treas
ury department, besides the two avia-
| ton .emblems of France. He was called
to receive his decoration for having
| in the course of one day held seven
| -ombatc, descended (sie) one German
| plane in flames. and forced FIVE others
to Land behind their lines, (Which
means that he is officially credited with
| ono-hi5 thirteenth-and that the 9TH
err five, though probably brought down,
Is not count for him because there
tfr nat the neeessa rs WITNESSES r.
~ tr~, bvSt tire reneh regulations
.rsiato5s are not very military The
| ct5ief If one OF the escadrillps was com
missioned to command the mechanics
y no are plain soldiers with rifles and
| steel helmets, for the occasion. He is
a bit OF clown and amused the entire
2athering. kidding with the officers
Tie pilots of each of the FIVE esea
friie9 we're in more Or less formation,
| aayt pf them with hands in their peck
cts for it was chilly. aud presenting n
luiXture Of uniforms unparalleled in its
! attcrogeneity. Every bran, h Of tie
rle represented endless personal
| tls il dress.
BECAUSE Of the occasion. rc2ose mad
.en granted to the entire group for
he afternoon, another group taking
yer our patrols SO that after the re-
lew every one had the afternoon to
raste-a sunny day, which is quite I'M
usual this month Within half hour
very machine that was in working or
r was in the air, forming into groups
then off for the lines, Just look
for trouble-vountary pa:ro;, they
L it Which opened ny eyes bit
to the spirit in the French aviation
vice after three years of war
In another letter written Dee
'ung Waleott says
q tried to give you some idea of the
trength of Spad in n letter a while
20. AT home people speak of q fac
e or of safety, meaning the number OF
ines stronger the machine IS than Il
'ecessary for plain flying The SpaC
: made so that n man can bust it
matter what he does in the air-div,
FAR and ps fast as he can and stol
brutality az he can, it stands tn,
{ acket. OF course, motors do stop, ant
{ il happens ovcr a mountain range
ell that $ just hard luck.
n Have had few patrols since las
wrote. One at big height 900 t
& 800 meters, considerably above til
! louds, which almost shut out tn
round below; wonderfully beautiful
r hit, but beastly cold-and a coupl
;, he patrol stays at just the height o
, ne clouds, hiding in them, slipping on
, 2ain To look around. If it stays be-
! W the enemy anti-aireraft guns per
Is er il whenever near the lines. and a
low altitude that is rather awkward
% the patrol shows itself as little q
j og5ible
q Il ; lots OF sport to try to kee
, 18th hn IN IL oh, Of =
4 troll, see him disappear, and the
= s'ap into a fog bank, a low hangin
i eud. and not see darn thing. The
q Ne down out of the cloud, wonderin
atEer the other guy is RIGHT unde
It'll or not; shoot ont OF the elou
i 4 see him, maybe 500 yards ava
Il ing AZ right angles. Then back /
& ad turn around fast and give her Il
IL ar full speed TO catch up-and
H See Bochc regulating artillei
Il, start to manoeuvre into rang
3 nd, zipl he's out Of sight in Il
Z gda and the next you see he is bea
K far back OF his lines Not We
q 'atgrrous this weather but lots
au
r. letter from the front. dat,
90 I'll following gas Sales eat i
r. le-trr!ay H.e ThanhsGiyiu. ia
X, ~. praises be. the Lafayette bun
- 8giied me and my partner to Dime
>, rather to the feast. They have t
81 remarkable chef. Soup and ifs
{ AIRED the way for a most remark
i, Is big bird called the turkey, bar
ded by ehestnuts. And then a plu
IL lding-a regular American one-al
ii GOOD as | ever tasted. sat at t
"a ail, with Captain Thenault, Iieute
20 nts Thaw and Lufherry. and sor
~ renchmen.
h An early patrol this morning, I
,ite low clouds Lots Of fun it W:
m ducking in and out of the clouds kee
of ing from hitting other machines in t
IA clouds and from losing the patrol s.
ay few Boches, but all they had to