Gilpin observer., 1918-07-11

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go on dropping bombs and not to fight
unless they have to. There is seldom
a time that machines go out over the
lines on this work in the daytime that
they are not attacked at some time or
other, and SO the scouts usually have
plenty Of work to do. In addition to
these attacks, however, the squadron
is invariably under constant lombard
ment from the ground. but that doesn't
worry us very much, as we know pref
ty well how to avoid being hit from
that quarter.
On my first flight, after joining the
squadron, ! was taken out over the
lines to get a look at things, map out
my location in case I was ever lost,
locate the forests, lakes and other
landmarks and get the general lay Of
the land.
One thing that was impressed upon
me very emphatically was the location
Of the hospitals. SO that in case was
ever wounded and had the strength to
pick my landing could land as near
as possible to a'hospital. All these
things a new pilot goes through dur
Ing the first two or three days after
Joining squadron.
Our regular routine was two flights
day, each Of two hours duration.
After doing our regular patrol, it was
our privilege to 60 Off on our own hook
II we wished, before going back to
the squadron.
1 soon found out that my squadron
was some hot squadron, our flyers be-
Ing almost always assigned to special
duty work, such as shooting up
trenches at height Of fifty feet from
the ground.
I received my baptism into this kind.
Of work the third time I went out over
the lines, and would recommend it
to anyone who Is hankering for excite
ment. You are not only apt to be at
tackled by hostile aircraft from above,
but you are swept by machine-gun fire
from below. have seen some Of our
come back from this work
sometimes so riddled with bullets that
I wondered how they ever held to-
gether. Before we started out on one
Of these jobs, we were mighty careful
to see that our motors were In perfect
condition, because they told us the
"war bread was bad in Germany"
One morning, shortly after Joined
the squadron, three Of us started over
the line Of our own accord. We soon
observed four enemy machines, two
seaters. coming toward us. This type
Of machine is used by the Huns for
artillery work and bomb dropping, and
we knew they were on mischief bent.
Each machine had a machine gun in
front, worked by the pilot, and the OBJ
server also had gun with which he,
could spray all around.
When we first noticed the Huns, our
machines were about six miles back
Of the German lines and we were lying
high up In the sky, keeping the sun
behind us, SO that the enemy could not
see us.
We picked out three of the machines
and dove down on them. / went. right
by the man picked for myself and
his observer in the rear seat kept
pumping at me to beat the band. Not
one Of my shots took effect as / went
right down under him, but I turned
and gave him another burst of bullets,
and down he went in spinning nose
dive, one Of his wings going one way
and one another. AS saw him crash
to the ground knew that had got my
first hostile aircraft. One of my COM
rades was equally successful, but the
other two German machines got away.
We chased them back until things got
too hot for us by reason Of the appear
ance Of other German machines, and
then we called 1t a day.
This experience whetted my appetite
for more Of the same kind, and / did
not have long to wait.
1t may be well to explain here just
what a spinning nose bend is. A few
years ago the spinning nose dive was
one Of the most dangerous
things pilot could attempt, and
many men were killed getting into this
spin and not knowing how to come
out Of 1t. In fact, Lots Of pilots
thought that when once you got into
a spinning nose dive there was NO
way Of coming out Of 1t. It is now
used, however. In actual flying.
The machines that are used In
France are controlled In two ways,
both by hands and feet, the feet
working the yoke or rudder bar
which controls the rudder; that steers
the machine. The lateral controls
fore and aft, which cause the ma
chine to rise or lower. are controlled
by a contrivance called "joy stick"
II. when flying in the air. a pilot
should release, his hold ON this stick,
1t will gradually come toward the
pilot.
In that position the machine will
begin to climb. So II pilot is shot
and loses control Of this "joy stick"