South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-25
ALLIED AIRMEN
DEFEAT TEUTONS
Forty German AeropianeS Put
Out of Commission Dur
ing Last Two Days.

FROM A STAFF CORRESPOND
ENT WITH THE BRITISH ARMIES
in FRANCE. via London. April %
/ The intensely bitter ground fighting
/ OF the last two days has been reflect
ed in the air and the British royal
! flying corps Monday established a
new record by bringing down 40 Ger
man machines. Fifteen Of these
were actually seen 20 crash. while 25
/ collapsed or fell in spinning nose
! dives completely out OF control
The fights took place $4,000 feet
/ in the air. from which distance il is
/ barely possible 20 see the ground
and wholly impossible TO see an ad-
versary crash unless the pilot DELHI
! atey follows down. Such a course is
not feasible where the fighting has
taken on the character OF a general
melee. as is nowadays often the case.
A remarkable part OF Mondays per
Torrance is that only two British
machines are missing
Day Perfect for War Flying.
II was the finest day for war fly
ing that the young khaki pilots ever
had and Tuesday they have been at
il again since sunrise. but the full
report of their exploits are not yet in.
1t is known, however, that one
intrepid young flyer. failing 10 find
single German observation balloon
aloft. sought ont one in its hangar
on the ground and dived at il and
set the big gas bag ablaze from stem
TO stern.
Since Sunday the British airmen
have cen revelling in wather they
have long desired. Not a cloud was
in the sky today behind which a
German could find shelter Deprived
Of that means Of digging themselves
in" the German fiiers were far
scarcer than usual. and very difficult
10 find. British machines were every
where along the battle front and
far behind the German lines. Bomb
ing raids were carried on As miles
back. the machines deliberately fly
ing over ground, where battles were
raging with the greatest fury.
Attack Troop Trains.
German trains rushing reinforce
and transport columns on the roads
were borubed and completely disor-
ganized. In several instances the
British machines came lower TO the
fighting lines and poured machine
gun fire into the German ranks. In
doing this. machines have deliber-
ately crossed the fire of their own as
well as the enemy's guns
Monday, one British pilot, after
bringing down two Germans and
with all his ammunition gone. de-
scended. reloaded. filled up his pc
troll tanks and took TO the air again
Within half an hour he had brough,
down his third machine for the day
Another pilot felled two machines
while the other 50 were divided
among a similar number Of British
pilots
One British Meets Match.
The greatest fight Monday, oddly
enough. was a drawn battle. One
Of the British pilots met a brilliant
German flyers and for a full hour
they manuevered in short marvel
Gus manner without either being
able 10 hiring his gun 70 bear on the
other. They rolled, looped, twisted,
deliberately stalled their engines
and. standing their machines on their
tail. slid backwards through the air.
but all 10 no avail. 1t probably was
the most wonderful air duel the war
has vet seen.
The British pilot reported Tuesday
that several times he felt sure he
would get his adversary between his
sights. but the latter invariably
wriggled out of the line Of fire The
British fier himself was kept busy
avoiding the German. and once he
had 10 dive almost perpendicularly
The combat did not break off until
the pilots had fairly exhausted
themselves. and their pertol.
Strangely enough later in the day.
another British pilot encountered
the same German machine The
Britisher was winging his way home
after hard days work. but he
1ockeyed with the German for near
~ a quarter Of an hour before flying
on.
Boy Pilot Pcevcd.
In strange contrast 10 TINS was
the experience OF one British pilot.
who somewhat peevishly complained
Monday night that 81 got only one
rabbit" He explained this by say
ing that while his opponent had a
good machine he was a clumsy fell
low and could not fight at all, and
was sent spinning with the first burs.
OF gunfire Still another pilot
mounted a fast new machine and de
liberatelv allowed German 10 get
on his trail Then he suddenly
looped behind his adversary and
caught him just within the sights.
this burst OF fire killing the German
instantly. The machine swerved
and the dead man pitched out, TO-
GOO feet from the ground.
The fighting Monday was all with
in the enemy territory. Several Brit
ish machines had bullet holes
through their wings. but sailed home
unaided and took the air again