Jackson County journal. (Sylva, N.C.) 19??-19??, 1918-06-14
!, neal With Unexpected
pp ,,;,os GIVES Them Superb
'' GRITTY in Air.
Nh, hun IN AERIAL Fight
ouot Caught With Gun JAM
N~' ..,sbes into German Craft,
" u,c Il Hurting to
Earth.

Ia
Sj British machine ramme med a Ger Ger.
= p ,,rnIanc in an aerial battle a few
c'' 49, The British machine after
y. ~ M made successful landing but
fII c' W. machine was demolished.
% .hoIe incident, shows the neces-
~ ,,- M airman to develop an al
s5 :, srpcrnatural ability to deal with
"r rnscted situations. 1t is generally
' ..,l one of the chief reasons for
"a, .rssoot German inferiority in the
y. !, that the average German pilot is
,.,ar,b,e of adjusting his mental bal
"'"' IN INFORMING or anticipating the
r,ypected,
' :, his particular contest the Ger
o,rman got his gun TO bear at
',,thlank range on the British pilot
,i5air the Britisher's gun being
:. .,mrorarily out of action owing to a
i'm.
Tina British machine was one of a
.,r.,,ron engaged in n long distance
,.onnoissance behind the German
r,ss They had been heavily attacked
r. q German patrol. but by splendid
~rrpv and superb airmanship had
driven off the Germans after downing
four Of Them.
Quick Wit Saves Briton.
+ was while pursuing one Of the
aseIpc German machines that the pi
hts Gun iammed, and he was forced
70 break off his pursuit and climb VI
IA the shelter Of his squadron until hi
rvp could be cot into action again
Before he could regain his altitude tn
German dived down on him. The Ell
.nypIane came out of the heart Of tn
sun straight at him. so he did not Sc
The approach of his antagonist unit
the latterS bullets came whizZin
through his wings. CHANGING up, h
saw bis enemy only q few yards ava!
II vas impossible for the BIRTHS
pilot to dive or Sideslip. The Germa
would simply have followed him dow
and continued to pump in bullets {
Ioint-blank range. Neither could h
remain on his course or q German bu
let would surely reach him.
In a flash he summed up the situ
tiol, saw the only chance open to hir
and Snathed at it instantly.
Drawing back his control lever
sent his machine shooting upward
meet the oncoming German. BefO
the later realiz i what was hapDe
ins the two airplanes were in cOlliSio
But the British pilot had so judg
lhIngs-more by luck than good ma
agement, he afterward declared-th
bis undercarriage crashed into t
elemyS upper plane, tearing 1t Gle
Of the main structure.
Lands Crippled Craft Safely.
Both machines turned turtle as
result of the tremendous impact a
noSe,dived earthward, a dive ir'
Which the German never recover
he went crashing completely out
control.
Inc British pilot flattened out
Machine after falling 500 feet and Y
aoIe to rejoin his squadron minus
uhoercarriage, but with his mach
'lherWiSe almost unchanged.
But he had yet to land his mach
III safety, and landing an airpl'
"uiout an undercarriage is no e
aSK' His comrade" all got down
lure MIN and gathered in a sill
a'Vup at one corner Of the aerOdr(
+" watch him come down. His c
"0hder was so certain diCaster
pended that he ordered an ambula
" De got ready.
but the pilot COMPOUNDED all t
,'0iS' ana thereby added greatly to
tt'VleSSlonal reputation. He sta
"S alrpIane when only few feet f
me sround-that is, he pointed its
Np"ard until the forward speed
"e'Iiy OF the engine. Slowly the
'"'iN downward. The rear skid to
o. earth and dragged along the
ee ior a few yards. Then the