FLYING WITH ITS DEAD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4931, 26 July 1918, Page 5

FLYING WITH ITS DEAD.

AEROPLANE’S LONG CIRCLE TO , EARTH. Details of an amazing flight of a British aeroplane for two hours with

occupants dead are supplied by a we-ll-known flying officer who recently returned to London from Arras.

“The incident referred to,” he said, “is quite authentic and was a common topic of conversation a few days ago. Of course, there is absolutely no reason why a machine should not under average conditions fly itJ self so long as its petrol holds out. This is not an exceptional incident of the kind, and certainly .there have boon cases where Gorman machines have been captured with their pilots dead. So far as I know, the facts are that thi s British fighter, which of course, is a two-seater with guns tore and aft, took off about lialfpasc one p.m. The wind conditions were almost negligible, making it very good flying weather. There was a great number of miscellaneous cralt widely scattered over No Man’s Land. The British airmen, at an estimated altitude of 3500 feet, when they would be running at 80 miles or thereabouts, encountered a German Albatross. They at once attacked. A lot of manoeuvring followed, and three other machines, two of them German, came into action. Hie British machine hung on to its quarry and eventually got it well under the nose, the German crashing down. Immediately afterwards our machine made a sweep south. It had lost height in manoeuvring and was rocking badly, as if out of control, but it kept steadily on until it was lost to view. At a little before 4 o’clock the machine, which was, of course, easily identified, fell crashing to earth nearly 20 miles to the west of Arras. On examination both of its occupants were found to he dead, obviously from bullet wounds, which had struck them from the back and which must at once have proved fatal Hieir injuries on coming down certainly did not cause their death. The petrol tank of their machine was found to be empty. There is no doubt the two men were shot immediately the Albatross fell. Hie Bristol machine which is 1 the best and most perfectly controlled fighting machine known, of its own volition, swept on a fairly even keel to a distance of possibly ten miles below the point where the battle took place. Then for some reason which never will be known, the controls were shifted and a circle was made. In view of the fact .that the total distance coveied must have been much under 160 miles, it appears certain the machine lost speed and height gradually, possiblv due to some minor, but not vital injury to the engine. Jot* upwards of two hours the two men lei e in tlie air before the final crash to earth.’