The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1918-10-01
tBy Associated Press)

ROMORANTIN. Central France, Oct
Liberty airplanes were darting
across the sky, other Liberties were
drawn up in battalions across the big
plain, and still other Liberties were
putting and struggling at their anchor
tests, as the Associated Press cores
pendent arrived at this great center
Of airplane production for the Ameri-
can fighting army. The nearby town
OF Issodoun is the great center for the
American aviators.
Crowds OF soldiers and workmen had
gathered to see one Of the fighting Lib
critics completely equipped with bomb
ing machines, wireless outfit, all its
guns, and every last device known to
combat. There had been other Liber-
ties turned out, scores and hundreds
Of them now moving in a steady
stream. In this and others which had
preceded, the last step had been taken
in giving them their final equipment
for actual fighting.
The big machine had a spread of
wings of 43 feet across, and like all
the others was Of gray cloud-color seen
from below. though above the color
changed to green and merged into the
green fields. Ahead pointed the ma
chine gun operated by the pilot, with
syncronizing device by which hun
dred shots a minute few between the
arms Of the spinning propeller. Fur
Their back, In the observers nests two
more machine guns had a sweep OF
both broadsides and upward and rear
ward. There was no angle they could
not reach, and even the Gotha trick OF
shooting straight down through floor
tunnel was more than matched, though
details of how this is done cannot, of
course, be given. 1t is sufficient to
say that this new type, long and an
xiously awaited and now reality.
armed for combat was as formidable
as any car ever produced, and in the
judgment of these experts. was far
more formidable than any OF them.
Pioneer Squadron.
Climbing into the pilots seat there
was an opportunity to see the workings
Of this big car-the pioneer Of the
fighting sQuadrons soon to come. The
powerful motor with all its pistons
jumping was just ahead with two long
exhausts sweeping back toward the
tail. Within the seat were straps to
hold the pilot in headlong flight, and
all the delicacy of mechanism one sees
in an automobile speed indicator, gas
meter, oil pressure, throttles, switches
and much more besides; lights for
signaling, height meter and compass,
and fire extinguishers to fight a blaze.
This is the joy-stick." said Captain
X as he swung the lever controlling
the tail and ailerons for vertical move
ment And he pointed out that the
foot rudder, which controls the horl-
zontal movement, worked on the same
principle as the bob-sled.
Truly it is wonder" he said,
fondling the mechanism. 81 know
them all-English, French, Italian
and there is nothing like this for
power and speed. Why"
And then he gave an instance of
what had been accomplished in a
straight rise from the ground, which
constitutes a record far exceeding
anything before. This was made in
one of the Liberties recently turned
out here. 1t was not regarded as one
of the best of the machines. and the
workmen even dubbed it False
Alarm" But it soon proved it's rights.
1t was sent to one of the training
fields. and on one of it's first ascents
it shot up straight from the ground
to the height of 20,400 feet in 35A
minutes.
at Is the fastest time a human
being has ever gone up said the cap
tain, land it gives an idea of what is
ahead when these squadro are in
line"
Large Numbers Produced.
II detail could be given on the num-
Der OF these planes and the squadrons
equipping for the battle line it would
cheer those who have grown heart
sick with waiting and charges and in
vestigations, and would let them know
the day of real accomplishment was
at hand in the thick Of the fighting
Without giving numbers. it can be
said that we saw these machines
crowding vast workshop in such
array that their wings touched and
covering much more than the area
of a city block. They were not piece
meal cars. but all ready to go forward.
They have been passing by the score
daily into the hands Of the aviators,
and squadron after squadron was be-
ing made ready for the front
We saw them in combat formation
over the flying fields Of Issoudoun.
This was no longer a vague promise