New-York tribune., 1918-10-22
American Bombing
Squadron Presents
Inspiring Spectacle
Start of Raid Resembles
: Beginning of Flight of
Flock of Birds
'Stragglers' Censured
Aviators Told "Bunching" Is
! All-Important Tactic on
Invading Trip

WITH AMERICAN AVIATORS IN
FRANCE, Sept. so Correspondence of
sThe Associated Press).-The start OF
AN American bombing squadron on a
raid into German territory is spec
>tacle TO stir the enthusiasm of an
;American and inspire him with an
appreciation of Americas growing
strength in the air.
The squadron already had been over
lthe German lines twice that day with
fair success and the aviators lounged
in shady spots jibing one another or
..idly commenting upon the cvolutions
OF practice airplanes overhead when
The correspondent of The Associated
press visited the flying field.
Out of concealed and camoufaged
office hut ,there stepped suddenly the
,dight leader, Lieutenant Gunderlach,
a9ho already has been named in the
sofficial American communique for
prowess in the air.
The aviators sprang to their feet
and gathered around their leader for
final instructions. He had not been
at all satisfied with the two perform
.ances of the day. They had shown a
tendency TO straggle overmuch and had
mot kept sufficiently "bunchcd."
Hot criticism poured from his lips
and the youngsters were silent in en-
barrassment. The leader did not spare
them. but iterated and reiterated that
'the formation is the thing, the squad
sson is the thing" and. finally. God
help a straggler.'
Then the order over, the aviators
twent silently to their quarters for
their great, heavy Arctic clothing. In
the field, swathing and swaddling
themselves to the eyes, tucking choco
late into their pockets (for they get
hungry UP in the air) or breaking open
d fresh package of chewing gum, which
ehelps 10 alleviate nervousness and has
a steadying effect.
The last machine gun had been
csested. the last propeller had been
1twirled until it revolved at lightning
speed. The commander gave an al
most imperceptible wave Of h hand.
Airplane number one, bearing the
flight leader. threw off its restraining
mechanics and swept in big curve
across the field. "taxi-ing" clumsily
across the field with its weight OF
bombs, tc position from which it
could rise at the head of the group.
one by one the others followed SUIT,
taking up positions just behind and
to'the right and left of the leader un-
Ill they were spread out like huge
covey Of ungainly but marvellously
colored birds. AS they waited they
,ossed out rockets which, despite the
brilliant sunlight, hared binding red
and white. The test was compete.
They were ready for the start.
Again the commander gave signal
srhe noise of the motors rose to deaf
ening proportions. The great covey
began to move, gained sped as they
sped northward across the field, then,
one after another, "took off" the
ground. All the clumsiness Of the
"taxi-ing" was gone. The machines
had become graceful birds in fact.
Swiftly they rose. while still within
sight. to q great GIT looking for all
the world like flock of geese with the
leader at the neck of the formation.
Later on. when about to cross the line,
thew w-u'd Il nv cloror together in 0
a compact tightly-knit group, but al
ways following, whether to left or
right, the two little white pennants
streaming out from the leaders ma
chine.