The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-05-11
VICTORIES IN AIR
FALL RAPIDLY TO
BRITISH AIRMEN
Last Few Days Have Been
Most Favorable.
Activity of AviatOrs Has Gained
Many Triumphs.
BOMBING SQUADRONS BUSY
Eight Germans Out of Twenty
DOwned Tuesday.
Two British AviatOrs Attacked
Seven BOches.
Activity of AviatOrs Has Gaine
Many Triumphs.
BOMBING SQUADRONS BUS
Eight Germans Out of Twent,
DOwned Tuesday.
(By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated PresSD
With the British Army in France,
May 11.-There has been much air
fighting during the last few days and
the British airmen have fully sus-
tanned the great reputation they estab-
lished early in the war. Scores of bat
ties might be recounted in which the
British triumphed over greater num-
bers of their adversaries. All of these
stories vary only as to details.
Several days ago near Ypres one
British machine attacked five Ger
mans single handed. The Britisher
engaged one enemy and fought him
until he turned tail and fled. The
English pilot then went after another
German and pressed the attack so
hard that the enemy was forced into
a nose spin in an attempt to escape
The ruse was futile. however, for the
Britisher followed him down firing
steadily into the helpless German ma
chine until the latter finally turned on
its back and fell plummet-like
Another British plane was attacked
by six enemy machines which came
at it from below and behind The
British observer opened fire at close
range. riddling the leading German
machine, which dived and then burst
into flames. This finished the work
OF the British pilot, who got away
safely.
Busy With Bombs, Too.
But fighting planes are not the only
ones that have been busy. The Brit
ish bombing squadrons have been
doing wonderful work destroying rail-
roads, ammunition dumps and bomb
ing enemy troops and transports Tons
CT high explosives have been
cropped among masses of the enemy
at night, causing heavy casualties The
British machines also have been EN-.
pioyed constantly in attacking the in.
fantry from low attitudes with ma
chine guns and in many cases
veritable slaughter has resulted
The artillery planes also have been
doing fine service directing the fire
of British guns, and this represents
one of the most important phases of
the duties of the air corps. for the
pilots are the eyes of the gunners.
Downed Eight Out of Twenty.
In addition to destroying eight of
the twenty German airplanes which
as related yesterday were engaged so
successfully on Tuesday by two Brit
ish machines, the British aviators sent
down five others damaged The hat
tie began when the British aviators
attacked seven German planes. Two
other enemy formations came m
raising the total German machines to
twenty, but instead of retiring the two
British fighters pressed the attack.
In and out among the large enemy
force these two planes with their GAL
liant little crews swirled and charged
working their rapid firers like mad,
one of the Britishers got on the tai,
of big German machine and rid
died it with bullets. The enemy air
plane hung quivering in the air for a
moment and then turning it's nose to-
ward the earth, crashed down with
sheets of flame bursting from it,
Seven Others Shot Down.
The seven other German machine
| were shot to pieces in rapid succession
/ and took the final plunge, three of
them leaving a wake of fire and black
smoke to tell the story of the terrible
| fate suffered by the men strapped in
their seats. The five other enemy ma
| chimes, forced to abandon the fight
| because of their crippled condition,
| were seen to dive away in the hope
| of reaching the ground safely
! Thirty minutes had sufficed for the
| two British machines to accomplish.
| all this. Only seven of the twenty
| enemy planes remained in the air.
| The British had used up all their am
! munition in the furious melee, how
ever, and there was nothing to dc
but withdraw, which they did in
: