Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1921-05-06
EN- ROUTE TO FLORIDA
Seeing Flying Station Near
Pensacola
BY JAMES FAUX.

Whert WE WAIKIKI uOWu q piauh p'Vi
and got aboard the two waiting
boats, the Leroy and Richmond fur
nished as a courtesy of Capt. |. Fl.
Aiken. A short run was made up
she bay, the city being situated fair
~ near it's mouth and here could be
seen the posi- bilities for land-locked
anchorage for much shipping
Then we steam down to the navy
yard beyond the city. AS we APP
proach it we notice zigzag colering
of dun and other dull shades, pro-
claiming the work of the artists
during the war who did cammouflag
ing for the protection of these build
ihgs. An officer who is our guide as
we walk into the grounds tells us
that this particular cammouflaging is
OF rather doubtful protective value,
it being done in the early DAYS of that
class OF protective work from the
painters brush and that they have
learned more about it since. We
| find this much as other navy yards
into which we have gone at times as
party. Ship supplies of various
kinds stacked about, and shel ) etc
for the big guns.
The most striking thing about thiss
yard is the flying machines as this is
aud was during the wnr great base
for aircraft Soon we are given an
exhibition of what thew can do in
that line. We are piloted out onto a
plank pier which gives good view
point out over the waters of the bay,
and at a given signal the many sea-
planes which we had passed as the
threaded our wav by them, slide off
their ways into the water and in about
two minutes amidst a pandemium of
suffering and roaring engines they
rise like so many birds in groups as
to their class of plane they belong to
and fill the upper air like tlocks OF
the feather tribe. They skim over
the water, rise into the air. whirl
round, point upward, then dip, aud
turn, and loop the loop and lv in
pairs, singlY,' and in lunches and
) some climb TO DIZZY heights others
leave the bay and circle round over
the wards and back country ano
come whirring back We are crap
, ing our necks and twisting and
turning every way and that to get
the best views in such excitement as
prevails. Its like trying to watch a
five ring circus. When you turn one
way to follow With the eye the antics
of this group another detracts you
and so on. They have windlass rig
ging run by power to pull the planes
back into their shelters under the
housing. The water is shallow near
the shore line and clear as crystal
the bottom being easily seen. From
this part we go round to where we
see the bimps or dirigiblo, lighting
field which is large open sand
stretch beyond the fenced grounds
of the navy station. These lighter
than-air craft rose as our boat came
near the landing coming in and cir
cled slowly over US dropping flower
! wreaths down on the party like as #
they were bombs. They are let of
with ropes handled by trained men
as they rise and pulled down by
same process. The balloons with
baskets are in a house or there is
one which we get TO see basket and
: all. It's possibly the one that got
: lost a few DAYS later with its crew.
4 along the coast south about which
0 the papers were so ull at the time.
A number of the baskets are ranged
y along side the wall in this balloon
garage and are interesting to look al
being made out of wicker and ropes
: worked into the edges and grouping
towards top to fasten to the gas bag
10 bundles of twisted cordage. The
| balloon skin seems to be made out o
? kind OF sate-colored silk cloth ant
is distended with gas which is pipec
into the building.