The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-09-19
j. S. FLIERS WIN
LORRAINED DUELS
Prove They Can Outright and
OutmanGuvre Germany's
Best Airmen.
ONE CAPTURES OPPONENT
Lieuts. David Howe. and Ber-
tram Neideneker of New
York Show Mettlc.
ONE CAPTURES OPPONENT
BY RAYMOND q. CARROLL.
Special cabie Despatch 10 TIE srS oad the
PMbHc Ltd1er.

ppocaof tuofe DcSp0fCh TO IHE Sun oNd hS
Public Ledger
Copyright, 1918: all rights ,ts<rrtd
WITH THE AMERICAN FIRST ARMY IN
FRANCE. Sept ls.-A double quartet of
our aviators. men who not long ago were
walking ;he streets OF American cities in
various civilian occupations. have dis
tinsuished themselves already upon the
Lorraine front. Using French airplanes,
they have clearly demonstrated the in
dividual superiority in the air OF the
American over the German alrmen.
Capt J. Dickinson Este of Haverford.
Pa, who made the first London to Paris
flight TO test the Liberty motor. Sunday
took the air north of Beney. east of St.
Mihiel. with three other planes, occupied
respectively by Lieuts. Frank Hayes of
Chicago. David Howe OF New York and
Jack Seerle OF Burlington. Ia.
Sends Two Down in Flames.
They were on patrol at an altitude of
5000 feet when from the sky 500 feet
above them and 200 feet in their rear
dropped seven enemy Fokkers in battle
formation. Estes engine went wrong
and he fell away rapidly. Two enemy
Fokkers dove after him, but Hayes. who
was making his first warfare flight, see
ing the plight Of his commander, went
after the enemy from above. thus re-
versing the advantage the Germans for
merly had held, and by n fusillade OF
shots brought down both Fokkers in
flames.
Meanwhile Estes engine picked up
and he was able to rise to the level of
the others. whereupon the Germans,
finding they numbered only five to our
four, endeavored to escape
One American fier while recon-
noitring the enemy positions alone
from an elevation of 5000 yards en-
countered an enemy plane upon a
similar mission He attacked at once,
put a bullet through the Germans tank
and then another into the man operat-
ing the machine gun. Keeping at II
he got a bullet into the German pilot,
slightly wounding him.
Instead Of shooting down the Fokker
he maneuvred 1t to the ground and
landed himself. The observer was dead,
but the American took the German pilot
prisoner and yalked him Ave miles TO
the nearest American camp.
Lieut. Ray Brooks of Boston qualified
Monday as an American ace by shoot
ing down his fifth enemy plane Lieut..
Horace Lake, formerly an architect in
Washington, d. c., and Lieut. Bertram
Neideneker OF New York city, In a
French machine, are credited with being
the first Americans to 60 over and
shoot up the new German positions
Flying less than fifty yards from the
ground they sprayed the roads and
shell holes filled with enemy troops and
returned safely.
As scouting observers and In combat
planes our airmen. along with the
French and British aviators from whom
they have learned SO much, did splendid
work during the entire operation
against the st. Mlhiel salient. They
are only fiedglings, but one American
contingent alone engaged in SO COM
bats. brought down II planes and car
ried out 20 different patrols.
They were particularly effective along
the Vigneulles-St. Benoit road during
the German retreat. following the
enemy columns and conveys, often as
low as fifteen yards. with machine gun
sprays. They demonstrated beyond any
question that given the machines they
can Outright and outmaneuvre the Ger
man aviators at every turn.