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

OF all the divisions of an army engaged in bat
tie, the part played by the flying men is the leas
recorded, although the drOning song of their en-
gines is always an accompaniment of the battle be
low.
A most interesting resume of statistics in con
nection with the "planes" employed in the grea
war is given by Philip Gibbs, who states that thu
month of April of this year the most disastrous
for aeroplanes during the time they have been il
the fighting. Seven hundred and seventeen of thu
aircraft were brought down by shots and encounter
during that month. The correspondent states thai
there has never been such month for air battles
since the beginning of the conflict. This great loss
of aeroplanes in the short space of thirty days il
divided among the belgerents as follows: German
machines, 1863; British, 147; French and Belgian
2O1.
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 wher
going for rabbit hunt.
From daily observations made on the ground
there is little doubt that the aeroplanes of the En-
tente are handled in a 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 tc
deliver a telling shot.
These fighters in the air know perfectly we'll what
may happen at any moment. They know that wher
their ''turn" comes it is 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
lsh aero division made thousands of flights owe,
and beyond the German lines, being engaged MANY
times by the German planes, which were sent int
the air in squadrons. These air battles we're 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 Photographic 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 a 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
10 bear They rolled, looped, twisted and deliber
ately stalled their engines and standing their ma
cnlnes 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 A British pilot, in control of fast plane
dellDerately allowed German machine to get or
his 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
II is In this department of the war that the Amer
lean soldier and the American MACH are expect
ed to show what the descendants of the pioneer
trappers and scouts can do in modern scout prob
lens.