Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-06-23
BRITISH AIRMEN
SHOW QUICK Wit
Ability 10 Deal With Unexpected
Situations Gives Them SUPERB
ority in Air.
RAMS HUN IN AERIAL FIGHT
Young Pilot. Caught with Gun Jam
med, Crashes Into German Craft,
Sending u Hurting 20
Earth.

Behind the British Lines In France.
A British machine rammed n Ger
man airplane In an aerial battle n few
DAYS ago. The British machine after.
ward made a successful landing but
the German machine was demolished.
The whole Incident. shows the neces-
sity for an airman 60 develop an al
most supernatural ability 10 deal with
unexpected situations II Il generally
believed one ~ the chief reasons for
the present German inferiority in the
air is that the average German pilot Is
Incapable 81 adjusting his mental bah
nnce in performing or anticipating the
unexpected
In this particular contest the Ger
man alrman got his gun 10 bear at
polnt-blank range on the British pilot
in midalr. the Britlsher's gun being
temporarily out u action owing TO a
Jam.
The British machine was one ~ n
squadron engaged In a long distance
reconnaissance behind the German
lines. They had been heavily attacked
by a German patrol, but by splendid
gunnery and superb alrmanshlp had
driven on the Germans after downing
four of them.
Quick Wit Saves 6riton.
II was while pursuing one ~ the
fleeing German machines that the pi.
lots gun jnmmed. and he was forced
Co break on his pursuit and climb mp
20 the shelter ~ his squadron until his
gun could be- got into action again.
Before he could regain his altitude the
German dived down on him. The en-
envy plane came out o. the heart Of the
sun straight at him. 50 he did not see
the approach Of his antagonist until
the lntter's bullets cane whLzing
through his wings. CHANGING I'd, he
saw his enemy only a few yards away.
II was impossible for the British
pilot TO dive or sideslip. The German
would simply have followed him down
and continued TO pump In bullets at
polnt.blank range. Neither could he
remain on his course or German bull
let would surely reach hln:
In a ffhsh he summed % the situa-
tsoh. saw the only chance open 70 him.
and snatched ut Il instantly.
Drawing hack his control lever he
sent his machine shooting upward To
meet the oncomlng German. Before
the later realized what was happen
ing the two airplanes were In collision.
But the British pilot had 81 judged
thIngs-more by luck than good man
agement. he afterward declared-that
his undercarriage crashed Into the
enemy's upper plane. tearing II clear
~ the main structure.
Lands Crippled Craft Safely.
Both machines turned turtle as a
result ~ the tremendous impact and
nose.dlysd earthward. dive from
which the German never recovered.
He went crashing completely out OF
control.
The British pilot fattened out his
machine after falling 800 feet and was
able 70 reJoin his squadron minus his
undercarriage. but with his machine
otherwise almost unchanged.
But he had yet 10 land his machine
in safety. and landing an airplane
without an undercnrriage IN no easy
task. His comrades all got down be-
fore him and gathered In a silent
group at one corner Of the aerodroms
20 watch him come down. His COM
mnnder was 10 certain disaster Inn
pended that he ordered an ambulance
20 be- got ready.
But the pilot COMPOUNDED all their
fears, and thereby added greatly 10 his
professional reputation. He stalled
his airplnne when only few feet from
the ground-thnt Is. he pointed Its nose
upward until tn forward speed was
nearly on the engine. Slowly the tail
sank downward. The rear skid touch
ed earth and dragged along the sur
face for a few yards. Then the air
pane Zen forward and stopped with Il
jerk.
Hardly fastening was strained. and
the pilot coolly stepped down on the
turf to receive the congratulations Of
/, his comrades.