The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-26
GOVERNMENTS
AIRMEN MAKE
MANY RECORDS
Solve War Problems in
Manoeuvres at Long Is:
land Military Camp

49, IL. j. twenty-five DlplaneS, tLS
srgest number Of machines that ever
rose from one field in America, took
part in the manoevres. And the pi-
lots who went up did more than mere
ly show their skill at the controls, al
though conditions at the field requir-
ed much, but they spotted artillery
fire, ""potted" enemy machines in
mimic duels and frustrated attempts
by hostile land forces to penetrate
within bombardment range Of the en-
campment.
Two weeks ago the Mineola pilots
established a new record by manoeuv-
ring from field nine inches deep in
snow. Yesterday, just to vary the
trick, they flew from q field that was
hub deep Is plastic clinging mud.
Two squadron problems were set
for the students. In one it was as
umed that an enemy combat patrol
had been reported heading toward the
field from Far Rockaway travelling
in motor transports. Seventeen ma
chimes were sent to reconnoitre for
this patrol. In the second problem
A. S. Adams, one Of the instructors,
was ordered to land and hide his ma
chine somewhere in the vicinity of
Valley Stream and six machines
were sent to locate him.
Colored Defensively
Only, one pilot spotted Adams, for
the broken country and the defensive
celebration Of his machine made find
ing it difficult. The students had not
had that kind of work before. Lieut..
u. r. Miller caught him, however,
just as he rose from his hiding place
to return.
The other. problem, however, was
a complete success and eight pilots
reported the track Of the truck from
Far Rockaway until 1t turned in at
the gate of the Navtation field. How
complete the observation was, mag b
guessed from the fact that when Cor
poral Kelly. the driver Of. the truck,
was halted at Rockville Centre, by q
traffic cop and warned for some small
infraction Of the traffic rules, Lieut.
III. F. Wherle and another pilot mark
ed the ignominious proceedings from
the sky and included in in their re-
port, mentioning time and almost ev-
cry other DETAIL. except the officers
badge number
While the two major problems were
going on. Capt. John w. Butts, U. 8.
a., one Of the school officers, went
quietly up in his Curtiss to a height
OF about 5000 feet for target prac-
tice. Mounted on his machine was a
new type Of automatic multiple air.
craft camera. This camera operates
like machine gun, save that every
pull Of the trigger snaps a picture on
the roll Of film instead Of splitting out
q bullet. 9i1S
Time after time Capt. Butts drop
ped like plummet from his superior
height down on some unsuspecting pi-
lot a few thousand feet below him,
until having come WITHIN q few hun
dred yards he would sight and fire a.
few feet Of film. He caught one ma
chine not more than 100 yards away,
and the developed film showed an in
teresting strip Of bull's-eye photo
graphs Of the other pilot. Only one
machine was wary enough to swerve
from him as he dropped, and for a
few minutes skirmish for position
ensued. until at the end Capt. Butts
got within range and "let him have
it,
~ To Train In Shooting
The multiple camera is to be used
at, the school in future to train the
flyers in Workmanship. Every pho
tograph that scores a bull's-eye means
stances would have brought the other
machine to earth.
Practical work In spotting artillery
fire was done under another novel
scheme devised by Capt Joseph e.
Carberry, commanding officer Of the
school. A short section of firing
trench, with its complement Of COM
municating trenches, had been dug in
a distant part Of the field. and in the
ground nearby were set six smoke
bombs connected with an electrical
firing device.
Capt. Butts, Lieut.. William p. VIII
lets and Lieut. III. n. Salmon went up
as Observers, and one by one the six
subterranean bombs were detonated.
The effect was the same as though
contact explosive shells had been fir
ed at the trench, and the observers
marked the hits-whether they fell
short, or over or to one side. Their
spotting was remarkably accurate.
In addition to their other tasks the
pilots were instructed to reconnoitre
for hypothetical regiment Of hostile
infantry reported on the march. The
regiment, designated by two narrow
strips Of white cloth laid on the pave
ment Of Eastern Parkway half a mile
ties Of the column was picked up by
practically all Of the men.
To Have War Game With Others
So well have the students progress
ed In the short coure Of accommodating
and combat flying undertaken this
spring that the officers in charge are
planning within q short time to hold
naanoevures in conjunction with other
arms Of the service. The First Ar
mored Motor Battery. N. q. N. T., will
go to Mineo1a some time soon for q
days war gsne" against the air fleet
and later It is expected that one or
more units Of infantry will be added.
The manoeuvres passed off without
accident. The nearest approach to a
mishap was when Pilot Allan's ma
chine had motor trouble while flying
two miles from the field at q height
Of 1900 feet. At this height he could
have. glided 10 miles to any chosen
landing place with safety, but his en-
CINE picked UP in a few seconds and
he remained up.
Capt. Carberry gives up his COM
mand to go to France, where he Is to
study European war flying as q gov
eminent observer. Capt. Kilner will
succeed him as head Of the school.
ipyMr ixl
Daniel Willard, president of the Bal
a ~