The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-05-31
Ability to Deal With Unexpected
Situations Gives Them SUPERB
ority in Air.
RAMS HUN IN AERIAL fight
Young Pilot, Caught With Gun JAM
med, Crashes Into German Craft,
Sending II Hurting to
Earth.

Dtllnu lit DIIllSH LILIES III EEduCt,
"A British machine rammed a Ger
man airplane In an aerial battle a few
days ago. The British machine after
ward made a successful landing, but
the German machine was demolished.
The whole incident, shows the neces-
slty 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 I'm 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 alrman got his gun to bear at
point-blank range on the British pilot
In midair, the Brltisher's gun being
temporarily out of action owing to a
jam.
The British machine was one Of a
squadron engaged in a long distance
reconnaissance behind the German
lines. They had been heavily attacked
by q German patrol, but by splendid
gunnery and superb ~airmanship had
driven off the Germans after downing
four of them.
Quick Wit Saves Briton.
1t was while pursuing n of the
fleeing German machines that the pi-
lots gun jammed, and he was forced
to break off his pursuit and climb up
to +ha ehoI+or 90 his cnYodrop until hic
gun could be got into action again.
Before he could regain his altitude the
German dived down on him. The en-
envy plane came out of the heart of the
sun straight at him, so he did not see
the approach of his antagonist until
the latter's bullets came whizzlng
through his wings. CHANGING up, he
saw his enemy only a few yards away.
1t was impossible for the British
pilot to dive or sideslip. The German
would simply have followed him down
and continued to pump in bullets at
point-blank range. Neither could he
remain on his course or a German bull
let would surely reach him.
In a flash 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 realized what was happen
ing the two airplanes were In collision.
But the British pilot had so judged
things-more by luck than good man.
agement, he afterward declared-that
his uRdercarriage 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-diyed earthward, a 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 reioin 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 comrades all got down be
fore him and gathered In a silent
group Mt one corner of the aerodromt
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 confounded all theil
fears, and thereby added greatly to his
professional reputation. He stalled
his airplane when only a few feet from
the ground-that is, he pointed Its nose
upward until the forward speed was
nearly off the engine. Slowly the tai
sank downward. The rear skid touch
ed earth and dragged along the sur
face for a few yards. Then the air
plane fell forward and stopped with 9
jerk.
Hardly q fastening was strained. ant
the pilot coolly stepped down on thu
turf to receive the congratulations OF
his comrades.