Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-02-22
CONTROLS AIR
American
American
Are Badly
State Officers
Sector
Planes


With the American army in France.
Wednesday, Feb. 20.-(By The Asso-
ciated Press).-Control Of the air in
the American sector belongs to the en-
envy. ANY officer at the front will make
this declaration-ail IA made it. The
control is obvious. German airplanes
come inc so over the American lines
almost at will.
Almost every time the Germans come
over their path through the sky is
followed by feecy shrapnel puts. but
the chances Of hitting an eirplane with
antl-aircraft shells is so remote that
the enemy aviators calmly fly along as
if on a pleasure tour. Every now and
then airpianes on this side attack the
enemy They always do this when they
get a chance, but the Boche is clever,
while flying and manages to come Owe
and take pictures, make observations
and do virtually whatever else he de-
sires and then sail home without in
terruption. Nearly always he is at an
altitude of about 5000 metres; where
he is comparatively safe from anti
aircraft fire II knows it.
II is not permitted to name any OFF,
GERS Of the American eNpeditionary
piN ~ - NV ~ w dASkC Y
If both were allowed. it would be pos
sible to carry quotations from virtu-
ally every officer at the front urging a
speedy appearance of large numbers of
American airplanes with American pl-
lots.
For there is only one way to wrest
control Of the air from the enenls,
that is to fight him for it. in the sky.
and relieve him of it by force Of over
whelming numbers.
Right now. if the Germans knew
American airplanes were waiting for
them every time they came over the
line, their trips would be less frequent.
Neither would they dare to attempt
such a boid piece OF work as when they
recently flew over the line in an ar
plane disguised with the allied red.
white and oil bulls eye marking. and
cut loose with a machine gun on
American soldiers in the trenches.
If there had been American planes near
by the chances of the Germans getting
back home after such a trick would have
been small. And it is extremely doubtful,
officers say, if they ever would have
tried it.
Any officer also will say that the safe
ty Of individual soldiers depends upon
keeping the enemy from doing as he
pleases overhead. For days the Germans
lave been flying over certain towns where
American troops have been resting after
a period in the trenches. Once or twice
these daylight observation tours have
been followed the same night by visits OF
enemy bombing planes. So free and UNI
restricted are the German airmen that
In some towns the m are under
strict orders to disappear under cover ths
moment a German aiIplane is sighted.
Moreover, officers say, more and more
German planes are appearing in the sky.
and in various quarters there is a growing
belle! that these are the first Of the ma
chimes which the Germans nave been
building feverishly 10 Offset the large
number of expected American airplanes
in accordance with plans announced in
the United States.
Whether the belief is true or not, the
fact remains that American troops are
holding the sector and are endangered
daily because there are no American air
planes with them. The question most
asked from one end OF the American
front TO the other is:
When are some American planes COM
ing here