South Bend news-times., 1919-04-27
Great Fleet of New AirpIaneS
Perfected When ArmiStiCe
Was Signed.
WOULD HAVE CAUSED
REVOLUTION IN FLYING
Constructed From Nose to Tail
and From Wing Tip to Wing
Tip of Aluminium.

BERLIN. March 2s.-CBy mafl)
Germany was just about ready.
at the time the armistice was de-
clared 10 launch a tremendous
aerial offensive by means OF a fleet
OF new airplanes which had been
perfected after months OF expert
ments and tests.
These machines-which today
stand, nearly ready for service. i'm
the former Zeppelin works az
! Staaken, near Berlin-would prob
ABLY have caused a revolution In
flying, for they are constructed from
nose TO tail and wing tip 10 wing
tip. almost entirely Of aluminium
and therefore are immune 20 that
greatest OF aerial dangers. burning.
Two-seated Planes.
They are tvo-seated planes OF the
observation rather than the "chas-
ing" type. The only part OF their
| construction not aluminium is
small bit OF the wing. The part that
| tuts and tips TO give the machine
upward or downward direction. And
the armistice came just in time TO
| halt experiments that should have
eliminated even this bit OF iniam-
mable material. and made the ma
J chine every bit aluminium. It's speed
I is 125 miles an hour.
The aluminium qirplanes. however.
/ are but a fraction OF the aerial
I forces which Germany was careful
| ~ perfecting AMI storing up for the
| time when she should have 20 try
10 regain mastery Of the air. An
exhaustive trip through the former
Zeppelin works. such as the Asso-
ciated Press correspondent has just
had an opportunity 20 make. illus
trate what enormous advances Ger
many had made in aviation.
One Monster Mode.
The most notable airplanes which
Germany was accumulating-sh
had used them q little and even had
lost one through defective orienta-
tion-is the fve-motor. 1880 horse
power machine, capable OF carrying
a score OF passengers, or a ton and
a half OF bombs and crew or eight
and which. German experts claim
far surpasses in size, strength. flying
ability and general effectiveness the
largest and best Of the new British
or Italian airplanes. They are I'm
posing aerial monsters.
Some idea Of their size may be
gained from the fact that they meas
ure some 40 feet IN width from
wing tip 70 wing tip Each has FIVE
huge motors OF $50 horsepower
capacity. two on the left between the
wings, two on the right in the same
position. and one in the rear be
tween the body and the tail
System OF Communication.
Though nov hey are ali being
rebuilt so as 20 be available for
peace-time transportation purposes
they have. when N shape for their
war-like work, a cabin forward and
just behind the cooling fan where
mechanician SITS, a cabin for the
commanding officer equipped with
an amazingly complicated. Yet for
him simple, signal system by which
Re can control tho actions OF hfs
entire crew and they can communi-
cate with him a. any moment. and
an open floor through which he car
sight at intended marks before re-
leasing his bomus.
Before the commander seat are
registers and gauges showing the al
titude and speed and an ingenious
contrivance for night flying iudicat-
ing exactly az 70 hat angle. 20 one
side OF the other. or up or down. -he
airplane IS flying a register with
rows OF little rlugs enables him 10
talk with any of his crew. II for
example the man in charge Of the
after machine 2 ia signals that the
enemy is directly behind go that the
tail prevents hitting him. the com
mander can by 5ressing a switch
give the order % veer the airplaue
10 right or left. 90 or down.
Delicately Constructed Compass.
a delicately constructed compas-
is one Of the ccmplemenfs OF The
tiny cabin. not only showing direc-
tion and other details but also the
tip or slant OF the airplane There
are signals 20 tho man who feeds
and tends the gasoline. and. behind
the commander special safety de
wees for emptyilg Immediately aI
OF the gas tanks 60 avoid IRE or aE-
plosiOn In the case OF an emergency
Behind the con- mander on either
lower wing are TWO machine guns.
facing fore and aft and manned ~
CONTINUED on PAGE FoUR)