The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times., 1918-12-05

nation FOR war, said Lieut.. Hancock.
Post Field, its aviation field, is the
only school for training observers in
the United States and now has more
graduates than any in the country.
A most enviable record has been made
by its engineering department, com
manded by Major King, TIE field hav-
ing attained the high point of five hun
dred flying hours between overhauls
of the motor.
| improvements upon the planes them
selves are declared to be going ahead
apace. At present Post Field is using
Curtiss observation planes equipped
with the Hispano-Huisa motor which
is built by the Wright Martin Corpor-
alton. DeHaviland Is, however, equip.
ped with Liberty motors Of 459 horse
power, will be used altogether at this
field as soon as they can be assembled,
that type being employed entirely in
observation work in France.
The training of observers, according
to the lieutenant, il work of absorb
ing interest. The observer is in fact
an artillery officer who is trained in
the air to spot enemy artillery fire, to
, do photographing and general scouting
work over the enemy lines. He col
lccts information for the general staff
by photography, having a camera that
is automatic, working by means of
trigger, and with which he can make
chain of photographs, each overlap
ing the other and thus exactly repro
ducing all the ground over which the
plane passes. In this way an abso-
lutely accurate map Of every inch OF
any given territory can be secured.
Hundreds of observers trained at Post
Field, on going to France, have made
wonderful records.
That the public has an over-drawn
idea as to the number of fatalities in
the air service, is indicated by some
figures given out by Lieut.. Hancock.
During the whole period of the train
ing of aviators for army service, for
instance, for each one killed in an ac-
cident there have been recorded 4,0l9
hours of flying, and 23l 500 miles of
flight.
That the army is well equipped with
expert mechanics is shown by the fact
that Ia .409 have been trained in the
United States. The total strength o.
the air service today is l54,425 men,
more than the entire standing army Of
the United States before the outbreak
IF the war. This does not include the
air service of the navy or the marines.
The approximate number of army
flying schools in the United States is
40. There are five ground schools,
eight balloon schools, three radio
schools and three schools in photog-
raphy. There are, all told, IA air de-
pots.
Another feature pointed out by the
lieutenant is that the government now
absolutely dominates the business of
flying. All airplanes and airplane
plants are owned or controlled by the
government.
Air compasses, altometei s, air speed
indicators and other delicate instru-
ments are now part of every airplane
and they have been improved to the
point of absolute reliability.
There is every indication, say the
aviators, that the air service of the
army will be maintained more nearly
intact than any other branch of the
service of the great possibilities in it
for aiding the development of the ma
tion through civil understandings.
Keen appreciation was expressed by
the airmen of the hospitality shown
by the people Of Tucumcari. They
were especially pleased with the land
mark-Tucumcari Mountain which
makes it easy to locate this city. They
saw Tucumcar when 80 miles east
and had no trouble coming here from
Amarillo. One of the drivers made
the distance in and hour and ten min.
utes, used nine gallons of gasoline,
was about three thousand feet high
when he first arrived over the city.
This machine circled over the city sew
eral minutes and landed safely near
the High School. The machine driven
by Lieut.. Graham circied Amarillo a
number of time leaving there about
twenty minutes late. He arrived here
ten minutes late landing Immediately
on the north side of the track. All
machines were Of the same type, be- |
ing 43 feet long from tip to tip carry
ing a $50 h. p. motor. The gasoline
tanks carry from 22 to 25 gallons.
The machines are controlled by either
occupant and they take turns driving.
They are dressed with thick leather
helmets, coats and trousers. The en-.
gine is valued at $4,000 and the bal
ance of the machine is worth about
the same, making the cost of the ma
chine about $4,000. The machine is
not heavy, weighing in the neighbor-
hood of 2200 pounds. II was a great
day for Tucumcari and there was very
little work done while the machines
were in town, as this is the first time
many of our citizens had had an op-
portunity to witness airplanes in ac-
ton. The day was ideal. The weather
was excellent Wednesday when they
left. Within twelve minutes they were
passing over Montoya. Eighteen min
utes later they reached Cuervo, but
were reported so high it was impos-
sible to see them with the naked eye,
although the hum of the motor could
be heard. The planes turned north