The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1918-06-26
Ability to Deal With Unexpected
Situations Gives Them Superb
GRITTY in Air.
RAMS HUN IN AERIAL FIGHT
Young Pilot, Caught With Gun Jam.
med, Crashes Into German Craft,
Sending Il Hurting TO
Earth.

Behind TIE 1..iefsh Lines in France.
A British machine rammed a Ger
man aly:,sdne In an aerial battle few
day- ago. The British machine after.
Hnrd made a successful landing, but
the German machine was demolished.
The whole incident, shows the ueces-
sity for an airman to develop an al
most supernatural ability to deal with
unexpected situations. 1t is generally
believed one Of the chief reasons for
the present German inferiOrity in the
air Is that the average German pilot Is
incapable of adjusting his mental bal
ance 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 midair, the Britishers gun being
temporarily out of action owing to a
jam.
The British machine was one of
squadron engaged In long distance
reconnaissance behind the German
lines. They had been heavily attacked
by German patrol, but by splendid
gunnery and superb airmanship had
driven Off the Germans after downing
foar Of them.
Quick Wit Caves Briton.
It was while pursuing one Of the
fleeing German machines that the pi-
lots gun jnmmed. and he was forced
IN nfp nd o1ivv1h N
to the shelter Of his squadron until his
gun could be got into action again.
Before he could regain his altitude the
Geriinn dived down on him. The en-
envy !uane came out Of the heart of the
sun straight al him. SO he did not see
the approach of his antagonist until
the iatter's bullets came whizzlng
through his wings. CHANGING mp, he
saw his enemy only few yards away.
1t Was impossible for the British
pilot tn dive or sideslip. The German
would zimply have followed him down
and continued to pump In bullets at
poiEt-blank range. Neither could he
remain on his course or German bull
let would surely reach him.
In a fash he summed up the situa-
ton, saw the only chance open to him,
and snatched at II Instantly.
Drawing back his control lever he
sent his machine shooting upward to
meet the oncoming German. Before
the later reallz d what was happen
Ing the two airplanes were In collision.
But the British pilot had SO judged
thlngs-mOre by luck than good man.
agement, he afterward declared-that
his undercarriage crashed into the
enemy's upper plane, tearing 1t clear
Of the main structure.
Lands Crippled Craft Safely.
Both machines turned turtle as a
result Of the tremendous impact and
nose-dived earthward. dive from
which the German never recovered.
He went crashing completely out Of
control.
The British pilot flattened out his
machine after falling 500 feet and was
able to rejoin his squadron minus his
undercarriage, but with his machine
otherwise almost unchanged.
But he had yet to land his machine
IN safety. and landing an airplane
without an undercarriage Is no easy
task. His comrade" all got down be-
fore him and gathered in silep.
group at one corner of the aerodrop. e
to watch him come down. His COM
mander was SO certain disaster i'm
pended that he ordered an ambulance
to be got ready.
But the pilot COMPOUNDED all their
fears. and thereby added greatly to his
professional reputation. He stalled
his airplane when only few feet from
the ground-that Is. he pointed Its nose
upward until the forward speed was
nearly Off the engine. Slowly the tail
sank downward. The rear skid touch.
ed earth and dragged along the sur.
face for few yards. Then the air