AVIATION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 31 July 1925, Page 6

AVIATION.

LEDTURIEI BY FLLG-HT-LIEUT LATHAM.

On the subject of the “Royal Air Force,” Flight-Lieu tenant Latham delivered ai very interesting: lecture, under the auspices of the Legion of Frontiersmen, last might in the Scouts' Hall. Lieut. Vickeridge presided, and before the lecture commenced he briefly explained the object of the Legion of Frontiersmen, which was to black up the defence authorities in the promotion' of military .Training and to interest the serving cadets and territorials in .such a way a-s to, remove any harshness of compulsory training. Flight-Lieutenant Latham, in eommiencing his address:, said that aviation was a subject in which the public of New Zealand should be interested. His first recollections of aviation was when Graham White made, his flight from London to Birmingham, in 1910. Since then flying had made so much progress that it was now regarded as being as safe a mode of transport as any used alt the present time. Before the Great War a few British enthusiasts. had formed them selves into the Royal Aero Club, hut it was only those who could afford the high expenses incidental with aeroplanes who were able to Indulge in the hobby. At the outbreak of the war. this o'lub offered its services to the War Office, which gladly accepted them 1 . \\ hen the V\ ar Office took over, it concentrated on teaching flying, am l when the pilot was isiiffi.cien.tly advanced, lie. and an observer would be sent over the enemy I inlets with rifles and revolvers. As could readily lie understood, the danger to enemy aircraft was very slight, and the flight usually ended with there being two very disgusted aviators-. The gunner ‘in those days to usually placed in tlie cockpit under the upper wings, which gave him a very poor opportunity of doing damage'. Laiter lie changed places, with the pilot, who was originally placed behind the observer. Then with tlie aid of ma-chine-guns and media,tniisnii to control fire through the propeller, great advancement in aerial warfare was made. A school for instructing members of the force in military aeronautics was adopted and a varied course of study was attempted. A month was allowed lor the course, and at the expiry of the term of instruction an examination was held. A multitude of subjects had to be mastered, but in so short a period little could he done other tliani make the student hopelessly muddled. The subjects dealt exhaustively with the theory o.t flying, all the construction and parts of, the machines, guns and bombs, Morse codes, map-reading, and artillery and infantry co-operation. The instruetons were very sympathetic and usually .prior to the examination, told the men the answers to tl;e .questions set. Reoonnoisanee work was dealt with fully in all its various branches. Bombing played a great part in the aviator’s instruction, for bombing had a more demoralising effect on soldiers than any other attacking measures used in the war. It could be readily .appreciated that although infantry could get to the dug-outs, mounted troops had to stand by their ' horses.

Speaking: generally on aviation, the lecturer said that when in the air the landscape , showed a different aspect than from the ground, and it required some experience of flying in order to enable a, pilot to find his hearings. When .several thousand feet in the air hills 'disappeared into, a fiat range of vision, but canals, rivers and railways were' readily discernible. However, until the pilot could become conversant with, the smallness of the landmarks, he had some difficulty in believing that a small silver ribbon was really a large river and not a tiny creek. The chance of a pilot losing himself while in, the air was great,.but it was comparatively easy to recover himself .again. Due to side winds, direction was not always easy to keep, for the winds varied according to height. In connection with “stunting,” Flight-Lieutenant Latham considered that the take-off and Handing were the most difficult-, An aeroplane is built essentially to fly and .is cumbersome while on the ground. The lecturer said that aviation had a great future and will in time supersede all means of locomotion now used, and the expense of flying would not be as great as ordinary travel. At the conclusion' of his lecture, Flight-Lieutenant Latham was accorded a vote of thanks for his interesting address. _____