WAR TROPHIES EXHIBIT

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 16 September 1921, Page 8

WAR TROPHIES EXHIBIT

LECTURE ON AIRCRAFT

There was again a good attcnuance I ! it the exhibition yesterday, and great] nterest was taken in the lecture .given-.; ly Mr. F. Latham on aircrntt last ; "in opening hi- lecture, Mr. Latham pointed out that the machine on exhibition when fitted out for service, had two wings, and not one only as it appeared.- It was a biplane, not a mono plane. Dealing with the construction , of machines, the lecturer stated that the British machines wore made almoht entirely of tho best quality .Irish.linen, • which waa treated with a special pre-| paction to make it rigid. The planes were braced b y wire cords which made ; the wholo fabric rigid while yet retaining its elasticity. The modern aero- j plane was really much easier 'to control than inonv people thought. Ihe tail j flan and the wings aro operated by the , control stick and the rudder by the feet, on a similar principle to the rudder or | a ship' Tho lecturer then dealt with the principles 'to be observed when turiiiiiK'u machine in the air lllustratinj. the different methods used in practice and when actually engaged b y an enemy 'plane. The duties of the pilot and gunner were dealt with in minute detail and m a manner that was easy for a luvman to follow. Mr Latham explained that tho vulnerable point was just under the tail of the machine, and described the introduction of formation Hying, which enabled machines to take up positions that made it particularly difficult for an enemy 'plane to get at them. Air photography was the next subiect dealt with. This was a far more difficult operation than it would appear at a first glance. The camera was placed in the bottom of the 'plane, and the observer flew over the ground it was intended to photograph. It was essential that tho plane should be perfectly level when snaps were being taken; otherwise the camera would take quite a different piece of countrr to that intended. The common practice was to select a piece of country, and then by what was known as overlapping, take a series of photos, which, when developed and pieced together, gave a complete photograph of the object required. In bombing the general rules to be observed were similar to those .in photographic work. An absolutely'level 'plane was essential to 'successful, work. The general practice was. when over tho objective, to drop in Rinall bomb, which was' known as n "sighter.*' If this bomb landed near the mark then the 'olane-would circle ! over, the' ground again and drop the ' heavier bombs. The actual bombing was always done when flying against the j wind. In conclusion, the spOake*"" stated that, in his opinion, flying was nbso- ' lutely.safe if One nilot concentrated his | mind on his work and did not allow ; his attention to be diverted into othei ' channels. In reply to a question, Mr j-Latham stated that it was not abso.l lutely 'necessary for an airman to b< strapped in when looping provided th< j loop was done properly. Several in J structors, to his knowledge, neve , strapped themselves in. Mr. Latham'; ( address, was closely followed, and at it: I conclusion several ouestions were aske. i and satisfactory answers given. * j To-night the'uses of bombs will b< , described b y Mr. W. B. Johnston. , On Saturday night a motor coacl will, leave the Show Buildings fo Manaia at 10.15. '