Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1939-11-12
Watchdog Air Force
Hunts Submarines
Along British Coast
Huge Flying Boots Used
In Hazardous Work;
"a U-Boots Attacked
BY VIRGINIA COWLES.

By VIRGINIA COWLES.
LONDON, Nov. II (N.A.N.A).-
In the early dawn, on q coast of
England, you can see the Royal
Air Force flying boats slip across
the water and rise into the air like
great flying whales as they leave
to scour the Atlantic for hundreds Of
miles in search Of German U-boats.
Although little has been written
OF the coastal command this branch
OF the Royal Air Force is perform
ing one of the most dramatic and
daring services of the war. Its ships
have flown nearly a million and a
quarter miles since war began, and,
according to the figures recently
given by Sir Kingsley Wood in the
House Of Commons, they have sight
ed II submarines and attacked "a.
The coastal command of the air
force did not exist in the last war,
for the f75,000 (about $500 ,OOO fly
Ing boats are products of the swift
development of aircraft and naviga-
ton Of the last 20 years. Their job
IS to act as "Watchdogs" for the
Meet and to keep the empires trade
routes open. They leave at dawn
with enough fuel for 1900 miles and
often patrol for ~ hours at
stretch. They keep in touch with
the shore by wireless, and during
days work they may receive orders
that vary from acting as escort
for a convoy ship to proceeding to
a certain position to hunt a sub
marine, to 60 to the aid of a de-
stroyer that has been attacked or
to rescue passengers from a mer-
chant ship.
Hazardous Business.
The flying boats are armed with
guns that shoot LOO rounds min
ute. Although they have not yet
been attacked by enemy aircraft
the risks they run are even more
hazardous. For when they wave
good-by and disappear into the
early morning mists they never
know whether the caprices of wealth
er will permit their safe return at
night.
I had the privilege of visiting one
Of the squadrons. One of the pilots
rowed me out in dinghy to where
flying boat lay in the water like
huge beetle drenched in the morn
ing sunlight To the layman these
boats represent a miracle of scien-
tific achievement. Built entirely of
metal. with two decks, they can (by
releasing the bomb load) carry as
many as 80 people. They are fitted
with cameras for reconnaissance
work. which are installed in the
floor near the rear of the plane. yet
operate from a button in the cock
pit. They are also equipped with
flares attached to parachutes for
landing in bad weather and COL
lapsible rubber boats that expand
when they hit the water.
A flying boat crew usually num-
bers II men, which includes two
pilots, four gunners, wireless oper-
ator and engineer. Most of the men
are trained in two or three jobs.
For instance, the pilots must be
expert navigators and the. gunners
experienced engineers and mechan-
les. The officers invited me to have
cup Of tea on board, and when
I asked If the cook did anything
else besides preparing the meals I
was told that he was the engineer,
as well.
The most essential qualification
for the pilot of flying boat is an
expert knowledge of navigation
Often he travels 1900 miles at q
stretch with only sea and sky to
guide him. For this reason the
average age of the pilots is greater
than in the other flying services.
The majority are between Is and
IS years old. Many men formerly
in the merchant marine have joined
the coastal command. and owing
to their navigating experience have
made excellent pilots.
Attacking submarines from the
air is difficult job, for bombs have
not yet been invented that will
explode more than 100 feet below
the surface Of the water. When a
flying boat spies a submarine in
the distance it must reach the posi-
ton within three minutes or the
U-boat will succeed in submerging
itself to depth which the bombs
cannot penetrate.
On several occasions, however.
pilots have cut through a cloud
bank and taken submarines COM
pletely by surprise, scoring direct
hits on them. On other occasions,
the pilots have been able to track
their prey by following a trail of oil
on the water and waiting, some
times for hours, for the vessel to
come to the surface. When sub
marine is Submerged, the only
method by which a pilot can tell
whether or not he has sunk it is by
the air bubbles and oil that come
to the surface.
Morale Is Excellent.
The dangers of the work which
these men take so casually was
brought grimly home to me when
walked into the wing commanders
office to hear him discussing a ship
that had crashed in bad weather a
few days before, and making ar
rangements for a funeral service.
The morale of the men, however, Is
excellent, and, when you are taken
over one of the stations. you are
struck by the combination of dis