The Twin City star., 1918-01-12

In the bottom Of the fuselage. By means OF this
last gun 1t can defend itself from enemy ma
chimes attacking 1t from below and behind. po-
stion in which all other machines but the Gotha
are vulnerable.
The Germans have been most ingenious in de-
signing their airplanes for maximum effectiveness
Of gun fire. Their single-seated Albatross ID.
and d iii, Fokker D, Halberstadt Roland D. and
Ago d have two fixed guns firing ahead through
the revolving propeller. and these machines are
able to carry 1900 cartridges for each gun. Their
two-place reconnaissance machines Albatross
Rumpler, Aviatik and L. V. G. have one fixed Tor
ward gun firing through the propeller and sec
ond lighter gun on swivel mounted behind the
planes and firing to the rear over an angle OF loo
degrees The French have adopted this system
for the airplanes Of similar type.
The most ingenious armament, however. is tnat
of the new Pomilio scout plane. 1t Is not advis-
able to betray the secret Of this plane at present.
but It Is permissible to say that the single pilot
controls five guns all shooting ahead simultane-
ously, and that four Of these are SO perrectly
concealed that even a photograph does not sno"
where they are situated. It Is In reality hVe-
barreled Gatlng gun on wings. This macmne -
now on its way to America, If indeed 1t has not
already arrived.
Talki lg with the italian aviators now mere
about motors, found them deeply interested IN
the new Liberty motor but none would venture
to express opinion about 1t.
II could not judge or ltS Value' saiu one " v.
them until I had taken 1t up 5,OOO or loV'ooV
feet in the air and watched how 1t behaved there.
The Fiat company which has been making mo-
tors ever since these were first Invented needeu
two whole years Of experimentation before 1t was
able to turn out a satisfactory airplane motor.
Several times It thought it had 1t; several times
II offered q motor that performed perfectly under
the most exactng laboratory tests, but each time
II failed when tested in the rarefed air OF 1OOOO
feet above the earth. After two years OF trial
the Fiat people produced the wonderful motors
now so extensively used. The 1sotta-Fraschlnl
company had q similar experience we oil ad-
mire the perfection of mechanism Of the Liberty
motor and we all hope that actual flight Will
proye it to be as perfect as 1t looks, but no ono
of us would venture to give verdict on 1t until
he had flown with 1t at all possible attitudes
These men, all Of whom are youths who have
had thrilling experiences in actual warfare, are
fond Of discussing the probabilities OF flight
across the Atlantic Any one Of them would be
willing to attempt 1t, but they disagree as to the
machine most likely to be the first to make 1t.
Some say the giant Caproni, which would need at
least "a hours, and probably 40, to fly from New
foundland to Ireland (the shortest route), while
others say some such machine as the s. V. A.. as
1t could make the flight easily between sunrise
and sunset In the one case 1t would be like a
giant condor relying the power Of its wings to
sustain it day and night in flight, in the other
case II would be gull or a swallow relying
on terrific speed to carry it over by daylight