Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-01
GERMANY WAS PLANNING
TREMENDOUS OFFENSIVE
Fleet Of New Airplanes About Ready
When Armistfce Was
Declared.
COULD CARRY TWENTY PERSONS

VIVIAN S<AAhh4 i lIAsSO21S
Had Machines Made Completely OF
Aluminium, Speed Of Eighty Miles
an Hour, and We're Designed for
BOmbardment.
BERLIN, April 80 tSpecia)-Ger-
many was just about ready. at the
.time tho armistice was declared. to
launch "a tremendous aerial offensive
by means Of fleet of new airplanes
which had been perfected after months
OF experiments and tests.
These, machines-which today stand,
nearly ready for service, in the former
Berlln--would probably have caused
revolution in dying. for. they are
aluminium and therefore are Immune
to that greatest of aerial dangers.
They are two-seated planes of the
observation rather than tho chasing
type. The only. part of their con.
struction not. aluminium is small
bit Of tho wing, the part that tits
and tips to give the machine upward
or downward direction: And the ar
periments that should have eliminated
even this bit OF inlamable material.
and made the machine every bit
aluminium. It's speed is 125 miles an
The aluminium airplanes. however.
are but fraction of the aerial forces
ing and storing up for the time when
sho should have to try to regain
mastery OF the air. An exhaustive trip
such as The Associated Press CORES
pondent has just had an opportunity
TO make. illustrates what enormous
advances Germany had made In avia-
Could Garry Twenty Persons.
The most notable airplanes which
Germany was accumulating-she had
used them a little and even had lost
one through defective orientation-1s
the fve-motor. 1880 horse power ma.
passengers. or ton and a half OF
bombs and crew OF eight. and which.
German experts claim. far surpasses
In size strens nSt ing iapees, and
hest OF the new British or Italian air
planes They are imposing aerial
some idea of their size may be gain
ed from tho fact that they measure
some 40 feet IN width from wing TIP
to wing tip go ns Capacity
two on the left between the wings.
two on the right in the same position.
and one in the rear between the oooS
Though now they are all being re-
built so as to be available Tor peace
time transportation P }o1 fSeir war,
iIts work. cabin forward and just
behind the cooling fan where hs en-
mcchanic.an sits. cabin lot , she eo an
nmalinsly Complicated. yet for, him
simple, signal system by when ne
can control tho actions or ms en MIN
crew and they can communicate %ith
Mn nj any moment, and an open moor
through which he can sight at IN.
tended marks before releasing ms
oom Eens,,na.r Can Talk TO Crew.
Before the commanders seat are e;, teS
listers and sauSes, sh ,nsnniious contr!v-
ancc for night flying, indicating eo
actly at what angie. to one one a siuG m
IS Isl flying. 4 register with rows OF little
plugs enables him 10 talk Win any
Of his crew; II H. for at teamp nsshine gun
signals that the enemy Is d!rectIiy ,,; ne
hind. 40 that the tail prevents hittns
him. the commander can. by nressiihhs me
airplane TO right or left. up or down.
Have Special safety Devices, e.
delicately constructed compass -
one OF the Compliments OF the uny
cabin. not only showing directions ana
other details but aisG 'n are 'P Signals
the man who feeds and tends the saso-
line. and behind the commanaier spe
mediately ali OF the gas tanks TO aVoid
IRE or explosion in the case OIL an
Behind the commander. on either
lower wing, are two machine guns.
faeing fore and aft, ana manned III
feTrysen. Farther to the rear IS sti., !
<S&6Skher machine gun IN me ho t,in%
- The sody OF the huge bird. wnIen
can Shoot through hole IN 'he hoof
."nhie siundcr the plane.
TrsyeIS Eighty Milen an Hour:
The Machine travels at speed OF
homt eighty miles an hour and can
s,av in ihe air zen full hours. Inc
Sneed and horse power were peinE IN
CEASED to an eventual limit OF 10
miles when the war ended.
no counteract the reduced amos
phcric pressure at great heishes,
which slows the speed, the German
engineers devised another airp!ane; WIN "a
four 250-horse power motors anks IN
size and nearly in speed TO the nSe-
moior ship, but equipped with con-
densed( or compressed air producers.
which Automatically supplies air 10 the
motcN to enable the atrplane 10 keep
OPP its high speed in rarihed amos |
phero and outstrip all other macnines
not so equipped:
Each OF the airpianes which the cor
respondent saw cost. according 10 tne
experts. about 100000 marks, a sTeat
share OF which goes to the account OF
the Infinitely complicated mechhnlsi;h
that is so striking feature OF each
The Gotha type OF airplane; which
sometimes was used in bomoaroihG
Paris, though 3 big, powerful machine
ia INSIGNIFICANT in size when seen along
side the new machine
- PRODUCING PEARLS