Milford chronicle., 1935-03-29
FLYING FUTURES

tomObile. The light went out as the
motor snapped into action. In the
observation plane they timed the
light-a test of the starting Of Blue
SunOcO motor fuel a test of the
most rigorous severity in the
swirling arctic gale.
The motor fuel test a success,
zeke Meyer gladly climbed back
through the trap door into the cab
in, relieved at being spared the ex-
perience of sitting in an automobile
on its way for a mile drop to earth.
Reichers set his controls for the
long spiral to the landing field. The
experiment was complete, a sensa-
tional exploit, but as the reports
spread in aviation circles technical
men saw meanings far beyond the
thrill and glamour of spectacular
stunt
In army circles there has been
talk for some time OF combining an
airplane and a tank, sky fleets car
rying squadrons of war tanks be-
them at strategic points. The plan
has been suggested that the giant ;
war birds could skim the earth and J
drop the tanks as they touched, the ;
tanks in gear so that on the ground |
they would continue the aerial mo-
tion. In attacking an enemy's am
munition dump. a radio controlled
tank containing no men but great
store of INT could be carried al
dark to a hidden spot. and al day
break, its movement could be di-
rected by the airplane above direct
10 the dump, and by blowing itself
up, would destroy the dump. This
follows on the widely accepted be-
lief that in future wars fleets of
planes. will transport divisions Of
rOOps through the air to critical
lIeas of battle-Outfianki move \
nents by The sky route Far more
Is the vision of bristling S
var tanks turning an enemy posi-
ion by the overhead route, and
making a machine gun attack from
he rear. This flashes all the closer c
@ probability, now that an air d
lane has actually carried an auto e
lobile fixed below its fuselage. d
till more probable is the prospect
planes carrying aTmOred scout b
ars for observation and espionage a
Ork in hostile territory.
What interests me particularly is N
le extension of the airplane-autO- NJ
obile idea to exploration. There are m
mote desert regions hardly acces-
BILE save by plane. Observation W
ON the air cannot be close range re
I'd immediate. The plane may land, III
It the sky vOyagers, ON foot, have
large range of action, particu- CC
rly where hostile tribes are to be an
cOuntered But If a plane could
ke an armOred car along, an ex- III
Oration party could make a land We
g in the heart of the most seclud- &c
desert, and then scout by car W.
er hundreds of square miles of ..
known earth. sll
If an automobile can be flown pc
rough the air beneath a plane, IN
~ not a boat? Another angle of an
plOratiOn possibilities. sky-boFne ne
ltOr craft launched on remote
ies and rivers. This might be the mr.
sWer to many questions concern III
3 forbidding and uncOnquered Sp
lds of Jungle. lake and river, such Fu
in South America and New GUM chi
div
Dr. boats for rescue Unsinkable VIII
tor launches might be rushed by Ma
? to ships in peril. A ship foun-
ing or on fire, as in the MORO VIII
stle disaster, the lifebOats TN par
rkable-rescue planes fly over. I
Int now the sky rescue parties VA
virtually helpless, save TO sig NH
to land. In the future the planes ana
7 flock TO the scene of oceanic II
lster and launch motor craft on dreC
sea for the actual rescue work. Sell
$ conceivable that the dark trag- u
of the Moro Castle might have hat
4 lightened, had it been possible hatl
a feet Of planes to have appear .Asn
swiftly and surrounded the bur NJ
, vessel with a swarm Of rescue ION
s. Similarly motor launches MOO
1t be hurried by the cloudland nam
e to imperiled flood regions. MI
is common practice now for the Ling
iirigibles 10 carry daughter air Cath
cSi IelSdSlHS luein ana taxing EA-''
] in tow by means of mechanism Fr
" the mother ships gOndola. ing
next step is for big airplanes Vislo
AIRY little airplanes. Long dis Br
q transport shIns misbt main S; N
communication with the earth De
leans of daughter planes. Some 10
Orities believe that in the fn- gFau'
great transports will stay on L.
sky routes and come 10 earth NIL
at long intervals for over u.
ng. At way stations on the Fauh
iule. aerial junction points, : Betts
nlane from the ground will Ems
the sky liner, attach itself me y
' for refueling and for the WINE
fer of freight and passengers. HeoIl 70,
then detach itself and swing lhs
ID earth-branch line aerOnau- az ~, ~
is an imasinatiya snoouiot,vo Jan
istic Yes hnt an airnlane has eight
lily flown with an sautOmObile sen -
beneath it, " Sp
March
spent Sunday afternoon with DiVi