Evening star., 1921-05-14
THRILLING AIRPLANE BATTLES
OF THE FIRST u. S. NAVAL ACE
Hazardous Experiences Sinking Subs
Burning Balloons, Bombing Hangars
and Fighting German Rumplers.

formarces August Il. 1918, when ir
company with British officer he
shot down two-seater machine in
a running fight over the German
llneS. Llpping through the upper air
at l2o miles an hour. by the skillful
maneuvering of their planes the al
he'd flers were able to>get in several
bursts from their Lewis gun on the
tail OF the Germans. whose machine
crumpled up. burst into flame and
fell to earth. Ingalls, machine did
not escape without it's share of pune
lures but luckily nothing was dam
aged which interfered with the func-
tioning of the motors and the wings
held until the return to the squadron
airdrOme.
Swooped Down on Airdrome.
The night of August 13. 1918. In
gals flew over the German airdrome
at Narsenaere. and dropping to a
point where his plane nearly touched
the ground. sprayed $50 rounds from
his machine gun into the wondering
Tcutons. who were making desperate
efforts to get him with their
'archies. Swinging in wide cir
Gle. he again swooped down on the
hangers and let loose four bombs in
the midst of things, putting out
s-Hrchli"hts. scattering Germans and
UHSStnE things up generally.
September Il he repeated at the
German airdrome at Uytkerke the
stunt he worked at Narsenaere 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 Fokkers
grouped on the field below.
Brought Down Rumpler at Ostend.
On this raid Ingalls, was the leader
of a formation of five in a wing of
twenty Camels, and on the return
from Cytkerke. he sighted an enemy
two-seated Rumpler going west from
Ostend at an altitude of 5000 feet.
ingalls, and Lieut.. H. 6. Smith of the
British air force turned out of forma-
ton. swung in over the shore and
attacked. The Rumpler turned and
dived toward Ostend. the Camels fol-
lowing. Firing 400 rounds from
chased the enemy plane down to
about 500 feet just off the Ostend
piers, when the Rumpler went down
out of control. burst into flames. and
crashed just off the beach.
September IS Ingalls, made one of
the most spectacular flights on record.
In company with two English pilots
balloon at about $500 feet elevation
near La Barriere. Crossing 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 were seen to jump with white
parachutes. Ingalls, gave the balloon
another spraying with tracer bullets
and it burst into flames.
Three balloon hangers were OBJ
served 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 remain
ing 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 zach
ed their base in safety.
September %. Ingalls,, who, in COM
pany with four other Camels. flew
all over Flanders, committing depre-
dations on German hangers and am
munition trains, dropped four bombs
on the German ammunitios dump at
HandeZeame, and bleW up a number
of wagons loaded with shells. Later
he flew over the ammunition dump at
Wercken and landed four bombs on
a large hut filled with explosives
setting it on fire. Swinging around