The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-09-20
NIGHT FLIGHTS
NOT FREQUENT
But Mechanics Are Busy Putting Air
planes in Shape for the Morrow's
Work.


Behind the British Lines in France
Sept. 20, Correspondence of the Assoc
ciated Press Night, as well as day, i
full OF work and hustle AZ an army aero
dome. Night flights are not frequent
but night is the time when the mechan'
les are busiest, putting everything right
for whatever tomorrow may bring
forth.
Long after the sun has sank beneath
the tops of the hangers and the trees
have changed from green 20 black, the
hard.worked airplancs drift homeward,
crossing the evening sky like black
specks on purple cloth and landing
with deep dIoning on the clipped grass,
lame and weary from long afternoons
work over the lines.
The days work is finished, reports
are handed in, and the pilots saunter
down to their mess.tent among the trees.
The mechanics appear, wheel the ma,
chimes into their respective hangers, and
the nights work is begun.
II is seventeen miles TO the shell-holes
of No.Man's Land, and all the horrors
of war. The long white road, thick with
the dust of transport. is silent. The
flat aerodrome is in darkness but the
hangers, looming black against the even
ing SKI, are bright within. There is
much TO be done. AIazes of wires must
be overhauledi many must be replaced
or tautened, The enemy anti'aircrsft
artillery has been active and some OF
the planes bear witness of its work. The
canvas wings OF one machine are rid
died and need long and patient atten-
ton before II win be fit for service
again. On another, the flying struts
must be renewed On another, the wings
are out of shape the result OF stralnlng
maneuvres in acrobatic fighting.
The whole means a hard seven dour's
of work for the entire staff OF mechan
les They settle down to it as matter
of routine. Every time a machine comes
back from the lines it has to be over
hauled erhaps dismantled. New CAD
gets must be fitted the engine repaired
and cleaned. Airplanes are after all very
hauled, perhaps dismantled. New CAD
continual attention. Without it they are
useless, even dangerous. The accuracy
Of hundreds Of measurements, the trust |
worthiness of hundreds of parts, are es
sential to good flying and reliability, and |
Just as much depends on these factors
rs on the skill OF the pilot.
The airplane mechanic doesn't share |
the dangers of the field or the hardships l
II the infantryman or artilleryman, but
he has endless work, and a very heavy
When there is heavy air
lighting he must frequently work all day
md all night, and woe betide the pilot
{ he should skimp any of his work.
Upon his shoulders rests the strength
# the squadron and its efficiency.
The officer in charge of the aerodrome
Turing the night hours Is know as the
orderly officer" Warmly clad, TO keep
,ut the chill of the night he walks
round the busy sheds and hangers, now
md then offering a word of advice or
IA, engagement, but always with an ear
or the telephone bell, for at any mo-
nent orders may come through for night
,ombing or the wsrding off of some hos
lie aircraft, Such orders are very rare,
nut everything is ready for them when
hey come.
The work in the hangers is so ar
anged that the steeds appointed for the
ext days work shall be ready an hour
efore dawn. As the first rays of the
un light up the aerodrome, the ma
hines are wheeled out on the "Tarmac"
lied and attuned for the mornings ,
iuht