Bisbee daily review., 1918-04-28

BEHIND THE BRITISH LINES IN ! FRANCE. March 2S Correspondence of The Associated Press).-A British machine rammed a German airplane in an aerial battle few days ago. The British machine afterwards made a successful landing. but the German machine was demolished.
 The whole incident, as described to the Associated Press, shows the ne cessity for an airman to develop an almost supernatural ability to deal with unexpected situations. It is gen. erally believed that one of the chief reasons for the present German in feriority in the air is that the average German pilot is incapable Of adjusting his mental balance as quickly as the young British pilot. in performing or anticipating the unexpected.
 In this particular contest. the Ger man airman got his gun to bear at point-blank range on the British pilot in mid-air. the Britisher's gun being temporarily out of action owing to a jam.
 The British machine was one of a squadron engaged in 8 long-distance reconnaissance behind the German lines. They had been heavily attack ed by a German patrol. but by splen- did gunnery and superb airmanship had driven off the Germans after downing four of them.
 It was while pursuing one of the fleeing German machines that the pi- lots gun damned, and he was forced to break off his pursuit and climb up 10 the shelter of his squadron until his gun could be got into action again. Before he could regain his altitude, the German dived down on him. The enemy plane came out of the heart of the sun straight at him. so that he did not see the approach of his antagonist until the latter's bullets came whizzing through his wings. Glancing up, he say his enemy only q few yards away.
 It was impossible for the British pilot to dive or sideslip. The German would simply have folOlwed him down and continued to pump in bullets at point-blank range. Neither could he remain on his course or a German bullet would surely reach him.
 Tn a flash he summed up the sit, uation, saw the only chance open to him, and snatched at it instantly.
 Drawing back his control lever. he sent his machine shooting upward to meet the oncoming German. Before the latter realized what was happen ing, the two airplanes were in cOlli- sion.
 But the British pilot had so judged things-mOre by luck than scod man. agement, he afterwards declared that his undercaTiage crashed into the enemy's upper plane, tearing it clear of the main structure.
 Both machines turned turtle as a result of the tremendous impact, and mose-dived earthward, a dive from which the German never recovered. He went crashing completely out of control.
 The British pilot flattened out his machine after falling 800 feet and was able to reiOin his squadron minus his undercarriage, but with his ma chine otherwise almost undamaged.
 But he had yet to land his machine in safety, and landing an airplane without an undercarriage is no easy task. His comrades all got down be- fore him and gathered in a silent group at one corner of the squadron to watch him come down. His com mander was so certain that disaster impended, that he ordered an ambu- lance to be gotten ready.
 But the pilot confounded all their fears, and thereby added greatly to his professional reputation He stalled his airplane when only a few feet from the ground-that is, he pointed its nose upward until the forward speed was nearly off the engine. Slow ly the tail sank downward. The rear skid touched earth and dragged along the surface for q few yards. Then the airplane fell forward and stopped {, with a jerk.