IN THE AIR.

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 2855, 28 January 1916, Page 4

IN THE AIR.

FOKKlilt MACHINE HERALDS A

CHANGE

BRITAIN MUST PREPARE. SI'EOIAIi TO SYDNEY SON. London, January 2G. ■Mr Boa (ill Thontas, writing from Headquarters, outljuos tiho AJlies' astonishing predominance in tho air during IDIS. lUieir airineu were irequeniUy hovering over the German centires .in Bellig'ium,»;biit were aiot molested, tito Germtin airmen, not venturing lo pursue itheni. ReeonnaissaucoK oxcecdint!; * I'housuiwl in nuuibej , weiro nuido mouiiUily and tlicro \vi*rf> Utw casiialties. The New Year brought the Fokker CUjo new German machine) lwrnJding a, change. TliifHigli Ulie liia« not givem tho enemy bho initiative, it uii{|ue.stionably i*iirre«t<Ml our almost insolent command of the air by improving Bii« defences. Tho most rt'iirarkahlo development in aerial wiiirfaro is tihafc tliß ilefoncio is now vested in. the Hyers llidiiMieillves. Aiiti-'aiirora.ft gun« are pra(sliicall.y unless, and iit is tiher<?fore essimtiial to find la.ii answor to tho Fokker. It would be tho greatest mi.stnke to uiidere«tima.to the value of tho new Geiima.Hj craft.

Tliio aeronautical correspoiwlenA of the Times says that the. real fact about tho 'Folded' "is 'tha.t >l)he Germans «re employing a nwipliine which is considerably inierforing w.ith our airmen,',s daily woi'k. There is ronson to Itoliovo I'ha.fc we havo a machi.ne as good ««. or cvon liotter, than, the Germans, bint the question .ie whether it .oxislu in isuffieient ammiboi-e to neutralise tiho forco a;t tlhe disposal of tliio enemy. Mr Teruuaait'e speeoli is a further instance, of the fJfoppiness oi : tlio information given to tihe House of Commons on matters jjci'tairung to aircraft. Tho Fokkor as capa!>To of {lights over tho British lines, though it i« not. int<Mfdod for (.hafc puiiiosc. It is not the Gernvan habit to overfly tho onmey's lines like us. _ Why have wo not got Ivig ongines in our machines when wr> aire. .ahead of the- rest of the world in design?- When We ou.ploy "better machines 'the Gormanis will not lose time in the production of hetter still, for they are prcfiumahly already engaged +0 lhat end. Our authorities nvufvt bo ready and 'look ahead to the next, development. Pjpn is the timip for a bold far-seeing policy in regard to aircraft.