Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-09-18
Work of the Airnen

OF all the divisions of an army engaged in bat
t:e the part played by the flying men is the least
recorded, although the droning song Of their en-
gines is always an accompaniment of the battle be-
low
most interesting resume Of statistics in con
nection with the "planes" employed in the great
war is given by Philip Gibbs, who states that the
month of April Of this year the most disastrous
for aeropanes during the time they have been in
the fighting. Seven hundred and seventeen Of the
aircraft were brought down by shots and encounter
during that month. The correspondent states that
there has never been such a month for air battles
since the beginning of the conflict This great loss
Of aeroplanes in the short space of thirty days
divided among the belligerents as follows: German
machines 369; British, 147; French and Belgian
POI,
Speaking Of the English lads who pilot these
fighting craft Of the air. Mr.. Gibbs says that they
60 about their work of terror and deadly risk with
the same spirit they would show at home when
going for rabbit hunt.
From daily observations made on the ground
there is little doubt that the aeropanes of the En-
tente are handled in superior manner to those OF
the Germans. One of the most exciting features OF
the war is to watch belligerent aeroplanes jockey
ing for an advantageous position from which to
deliver a telling shot.
These fighters in the air know perfectly we'll what
may happen at any moment. They know that when
their turn" comes it is q quick trip to the end
The efficiency and proficiency of the Entente
plane pilot have been demonstrated many times
when, after having been hit and still alive, amaz
Ing things have been done to save the final crash
During the battle of Arras, airmen from the Brit
ish aero division made thousands of flights over
and beyond the German lines, being engaged many
times by the German planes, which were sent into
the air in squadrons These air battles were al
times deadly in the extreme, but the object of the
Entente airmen was accomplished. In many cases
at the cost OF their own lives they saved the nfan
Try great losses by keeping down the fire of the Ger
man batteries. Photographing the enemy's trenches
ana positions is another telling quality of the aero
plane in battle.
Another correspondent states that he witnessed
the greatest air fight of the whole war; which, odd
~ enough, terminated in draw. A British pilot
met an expert German ier high in the air, and fol
over an hour they Unanswered in a most finished
manner, without either being able to bring his gun
to bear. They rolled, looped, twisted and deliber
ately stalled their engines and standing their ma
CHIMES on the tail end slid backwards through the
air, but neither could get the advantage The com
Dat did not cease until both pilots had completely
exhausted both themselves and their supply OF
petrol. :
Still another incident is related BY an eye.wit
ness. British pilot, in control of fast plane
deliberately allowed German machine to get OF
MS tail. Then suddenly he looped behind his ad
versary caught him just within the sights and fired
killing the German pilot instantly. The machine
swerved, and the dead man was pitched out falling
10000 feet to the ground.
Like the Indian Scout Of the early days, the all
man has the most dangerous and romantic task
1t is in this department of the war that the Amer
lean soldier and the American machines are expect
ed to show what the descendants Of the pioneer
trappers and scouts can do in modern scout prob
lems