New-York tribune., 1918-12-01

varieties of them, and each one worse
than the other. They go off with 3
sharp bang, or short, sharp, dry
bark might better describe the sound
A big shall fired on a target on the
ground goes through the air With big
neaithy whine, and goes off with a
big boom at q distance, and at close
quarters it Is loud bang. An "A A.
shell exploding close by sounds more
Ike two big dish pans coming together
At distance an "A. A shell sounds
like gas shell exploding on th..
ground, sort Of a dull thud
The sound is, of course, by far the
least disconcerting feature. When the
blooming things get too close they
rock the ship around as though an
Oklahoma cyclone had hit it, The
Huns usually fire their Archie shells
in punches of four; eight is the greSt-
est number [ have ever seen at once,
but these bursts come so fast chat. to
a pilot just making his first few trips
over the lines, il seems as though the
entire output of krupps is concen-
trated IN his Immediate vicinity. But
ne soons gets accustomed TO them and
does not mind them much sometimes
they shoot up bunch of Onions
burning balls of chemicals, strung to-
gether on 4 wire. The balls can be
lodged, ii the pilot is quick, but il he
ever runs into Gre of the wires, which
can't be seen, there will be slow. sad
music the next day and he will not
hear it.
"Regulation of artillery FIRE by ajy.
plane is another important work Of the
observation squadron. IN this the Oh
server regulates artillery fire on
point concealed from observation bal
ICONS and signal stations, and naturally
the enemy tries to keep an important
group Of guns, etc, where only an az
plane can see it. Some pilots do not
like this kind OF work, IS it is lorg and
tlresome circling around between bat
terry and target. The observer is r
highly trained specialist who watches
the tail OF the shells on the target and
sends wireless messages back ordering
the necessary corrections
Artillery regulation IS carried on A.
a comparatively low altitude (about
l,2OO metres), the height depending. OF
course, on the size Of the guns and the
distance the target is back from the
hnes, so that the horizontal visibility
must be good. In Reconnaissance work
an observation plane goes into enemy
territory. sometimes long distance
back, and gathers information of en-
emy positions and movements.
NOW we come to the last phase Of
aerial observation, infantry liaison.'
contact between the advancing infant.v
and the supporting artillery and head
quarters. This kind of work does NOT
happen very often, fortunately for US.
as the mortality is very high, indeed
1t happens only when an assault IS he
ing undertaken, and it calls Tor fha
most experienced observers and the
most skilled pilots. L is often neces-
sary TO fly very low.
This class Of flying in clear weather
Is very interesting indeed, as one car
see the whole battle being waeed be-
low. IN foggy weather or rain i is
just plain hell.
Just before General Foch took over
the command Of the Western FROM.
through lack of unity Of action, big
gap was made in the Allied line. ard
German army was marching toward
that unoccupled territory The British
air service saw it and sent every
plane available over with hand
grenades, explosive bombs and machine
guns. They flew almost wing tin
touching wing tip as wide as thar
gap and row after row. As fast as each
row of planes would reach the enemy
they would pour their ammunition into
the advancing masses, make a wide
circle and return to their bases. load
UP with gas ana oil and ammunition
and return to the assault. They loss
many planes, but they held that gar,
until it was closed, and shattered a,
German army