Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-05-14
the wings held until the return to the
squadron airdrome.
Swoopcd Down on Airdromc.

Sw0opcd Down on Airdromc.
On the night of August IS, 1918. In
gals flew over the German airdrome
at varsenaere. ard dropping to a point
where his plane nearly touched the
ground. sprayed $50 rounds from his
machine gun into the wondering Teu-
TONS who were making desperate efforts
TO get him with their ''archies." Swing
ing in wide circle. he again swoopee
down on the hangers and let loose foug
bombs in the midst of things. putting
out searchlights. scattering Germans
and mussing things up generally.
On September Is he repeated at the
German airdrome at Uytkerke the
stunt he worked at varsenaere. Fly
ing low, he rushed out of the clouds
upon the German hangers and fired
400 rounds from his Lewis" into the
light canvas structures, and with the
upward swing of his plane he cut free
four bombs upon the F'olxters grouped
on the field below.
Brought Down Rumpler at Ostend.
On this raid Ingalls, was the leader
of formation of five in wing of
twenty Camels, and on the return from
Uytkerke, he sighted an enemy two
seated Rumpler going west from os-
tend at an altitude of 5000 feet. In
gals and Lieut.. II. c. Smith of the
British air force turned out of forma-
ton, swung in over the shore and at
tackled. The Rumpler turned and dived
toward Ostend. the Came1s following.
Firing 400 rounds from ranges of fifty
to 200 yards they chased the enemy
plane down to about 500 feet just of
the Ostend piers, when the Rumpler
went down out of control, burst into
flames. and crashed Just off the beach.
On the 18th of September ingalls,
made one of the most spectacular flights
on record. In company with two En-
glish pilots in Sopwith Camels. he
sighted kate balloon at about $500
feet elevation near La Barriere. Cross
ing the coast line the Camels attacked,
firing about ninety Buckingham tracers
each.
German Station Burned.
The Germans began TO reel in the
kite, the Camels following it down to
about 500 feet altitude, when two OBJ
servers We're seen to jump with white
parachutes. ingalls, gave the balloon
another spraying with tracer bullets
and it burst into flames.
Three balloon hangers were observed
at this station, and as the flaming
balloon fell it landed on one of these
hangers, which in an instant was
ablaze. There was an explosion and
the fire spread to the two remaining
hangers, destroying the entire station,
while the flames were visible as far as
Nieuport. All the Camels were badly
damaged by machine gun and anti
aircraft fire. but they reached their
base in safety.
On September -. Ingalls,, who in
company with four other camels, few
all over Flanders, committing depreda-
tons on German hangers and ammuni-
ton trains, dropped four bombs on the |
German ammunition dump at Hande-
zeame, and blew up a number of wa
gons loaded with shells Later he few
over the ammunition dump at wercken
and landed four bombs on a large hut |
filled with explosives, setting il on FIRE |
Swinging around over the railway sta
ton at Thourout, where the Germans |
had an enormous supply dump. he made |
two accurate. hits. On the way back, |
being the fourth trip for the day, In |
gals dropped four more bombs on a |
horse transport. and he and his COM |
paInohS soI III enough 5000 bursts /
rom their machine guns 10 account for /
some twenty-five Germans and thirty |
i've horses. IT was work of this kind /
hat won for Ingalls, his British dis |
-inguished flying cross.
During a test flight on September "a, |
ingalls,, in company with another |
Camel. sighted a two-seated RumpIer |
over Nieuport. Both Camels attacked |
following the Rumpler very close, In
gals and his mate getting in two bursts !
Of 200 rounds at loo yards range. /
Driving the enemy TO q tailspin, In
gals followed him down TO 600 feet. |
when the Rumpler burst into flames |
and quickly crashed
The daring and enterprise of our |
flyers is well inIlustrated by these in /
stances. But the best tribute that can /
be paid TO the efficiency of naval aviation /
S the fact that during the last ten
months OF the war no surface craft /
convoy protected by American naval /
aircraft in the war zone was success
.uIly attacked by enemy submarines.
]