The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-22
this year that the first twin-engined
bombing squadron of Gotha appeared
Observer in NOss Of Machine

this year that the first twin-engined
bombing squadron Of Gotha appeared
Observer in NOse Of Machine.
The Go.ha bombing machine is a bi-
plane with a span % about so feet from
TOP % tip Y -Aa Wlr-s and ha - ier-lh
o. 40 feet from nose 10 tal-tip. the
height Of the machine IS about i- feet
The body. o. fuselage. is similar % that
q the ordinary tractor bipiane. familiar
10 ali. put Instead OF having an engine
in the nose. this compartment ls Occu-
pied by a gunner-observer. who also
operates the b0mb-dr0pping controls
The forward gun commands an arc of
rather .Inore than a ssmicircle horizon
tally and vertically 50 that i can fire
anywhere inside a SKY area represent
ing rather more than a hemisphere
round the front Of the machine. The
bombs twelve in number, are carried
under the pilots compartment, which is
between the upper and lower wings and
! Immediately behind the forward gunner.
THE reason for carrying the bombs thus
IS that since the bomb case Is right un-
der what is called the centre of life" Of
the machine. the balance is not affected
whether the case is fun or empty. Two
extra bombs can be- carried under the
forward gunners compartment If de-
sired.
Ell aft u the pilot behind the wings.
is a large cockpit for the after gunner
who has a gun on the top Of the fusil-
age which covers the whole after hemis-
Dhere Of sky and rather more. 80 that
auy hostile machine attacking from
above or from either side is subject 20
the fire Of both the forward ana after
guns Besides the top gun there is a
third gun on the floor of the after cock
Dit firing behind OF downward along a
/ Ib5ttomless tunnel in the fuseiage-as
described recently-and the fuse.age is
I So arranged that ln the event of an at
tack from the rear the forward gunner
can come aft, past the pilot, and So two
guns can be brought to bear on the pur-
suer
u IS this multiplication of guns and
cun-ers which makes a formation Of
G0thas 20 difficult % attack. Pursuing
machines need room in which 10 maneu.
yer. and unless the pursuers carry two
guns. each fring forward, and AT the
same time each attack a separate Gotha
they are certain 20 be- outgunned- II
one pusuer gets ahead Of his fellows b,
lis the target for the concentrated FIRE oi
several machines. and unles the GOthat
formation is broken up II is impossible
I for several pursuers % attack one Go
that at the same time and so bring
superiority Of guns % bear. Despite thA
ldificultv. however British ayiat0rs have
succeeded by sheer gallantry and disre
gard Of personal danger in bringinl
down several Of these formidable craft
The Power Plant
The power plant u the Gotha consists
Of two Mercedes engines of 260 horse
b power each. disposed one ON each side 0
the fuselage. in between th wings, an'
each driving a "pusher" air screw. whicl
heyolves close up 70 the rear edge o.
the wings.
Il is pointed out that England for Z
/ considerable time has had machines o.
higher quality than the Gotha. however
Mr. Dyott. formerly Flight Commando
r. y. a. =. produced in 1915 twin-eu
gined machine Of high merit, and u
1916 the Handley-Page frm produce
s another type. with much more power
. ful engines which has since demOnstrat
- ed to the enemy in Flanders. both over
D land and sea. and far away ss Constant
= n0ple that the British are capable %
. beating tine German 40 bis own game.