The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-08-07

gasoline tanks and when YOU stop to
think of how easily the Germans could
set the can afire, if we didn't let
them have it first, you understand why
an airplane is a can
Letting them have it is just the
aviation way of saying you're firing
the machine gun as fast as it will go
into Heinie. You almost always have
a chance when you go to pink tea.
'Going to a Pink Tea
Going to pink tea is going up in
the air after a German. Cuckoo birds
are always taking additional pink teas,
tho they never have them. A cuckoo
bird is an aviator who does all his
fighting while none of the gimpers
are around and then comes back and
tells about it.
IF you spot something. which is
seeing another plane. you jockey for
position. That is trying to get where
you can shoot at him without his
shooting you.
Usually you try to get under his
TAIL which is behind and under him
and coming after him. He can't shoot
then and you can.
He would probably 'zoom' or dive
or 'vri1le' then. If he ICONS he runs
for home; if he dives. he goes straight
forward without turning, while, if he
vrilles, he dives, turning around like
a top, so it's difficult to shoot him.
A4aSu <hetdCACu.
'Tf it'ss gimper you've piqued on
and pique is only the aviation way
af saying attacked or charged at-he
wobbles his flappers frantically, prob
ably, to signal you. That means he
moves Lis wings up and down. You
know he is American then because you
see the allied coquards on his wings.
IF he were a boche he would be
letting you have it probably and you d
probably get into the blind spot. That
is a point between him and the sun,
where he can't see you but you can
see him. 1t is point of vantage
technically speaking.
Good luck and your gun doesn't
lam and you've got a boche,' which
means bringing him down. Let him
get away to 'Hunland' and the gimpers
with you will raZz you with serpentine
action, which is going up and down
by moving the wings abruptly.
When the "Archies Pepper You"
Probably by this time the arches
have discovered y u and begin to pep
per you. That means the German
anti-aircraft guns are shooting
they're called arches and they pepper
you because of the clouds they leave
behind you are little black ones. You
can kid them along, if you wish, which
is getting first out of range and then
doing stunts, usually loops. It's bad
FORM, tho, unless you are Trying 10
draw their fire from some other ac-
tivity of another gimper.
Doing stunts over arches is the
worst insult you can give the Germans
and they never fail to pepper you. If
you are wise, you will zoom off for
home about that time, or you're liable
to be en- panne, which means the same
as cuckoo. Cuckoo is aero slang
for broken down somewhere.
Its all right If some Heinie hasn't
shot out of his belly at you. unexpect-
eddy, before you can zigzag out of
range. ZigZagging usually fetches
him, as we say. Anyway you want to
be near enough to the line when your
motor cuckoos on you so you can
glide back. Then the mechanics can
come out and get their eskimo, as they
call the aviators in their fur suits and
if you haven't scared Heinie to death.
maybe there'll be a pink tea at the
rendezvous next day when the can is
hl1uominp a gain"