ARMY AEROPLANES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16646, 3 September 1914, Page 10

ARMY AEROPLANES.

BRITAIN'S STRENGTH. MANOEUVRES ON A BIG SCALE. The advantage derived by the German forces through training aviators to scout for them has already been made evident, and naturally draws attention to Britain's powers and possibilities in this new development of war. Seventy aeroplanes, over 100 flying officers, 150 transport vehicles and a staff of 650 mechanics, all belonging to the Royal Flying Corps, were mobilised at Nethoravon, on Salisbury Plain, during the first week in June. At the time it was the largest concentration of aerial strength that had been seen in the army. Britain had, in fact, called up every available unit of her; aerial corps, and, as far as efficiency goes, it was shown by the evolutions conducted that the Royal Flying Corps had reached what was considered by the authorities to be an unassailable position in the air. France or Germany, it is true, under similar circumstances, could have made a much better numeric cal showing, but when the details of the gigantic display at Netheravon are taken into consideration, when the completeness of the arrangements and the perfection with -which they were cari ried out is understood, the nation can rest assured that Britain's aerial position is safe, and can compare favourably or more than favourably with her great rival in the field to-day. The Netheravon camp is said to have been thoroughly equipped from the aerial engineering standpoint. The speoial equipment, of a kind quite new to. military f«rvica, for improving, fit-ting-out, and "tuning-up" the machines, was of an elaborateness and efficiency which would bo hard to beat. There were travelling motor workshops, each weighing six tons and costing over £3COO, which could follow a squadron : of planes at high speed over the roads. There were complete wireless tele- j graphic installations mounted on mo-tor-cars for field service, while at n;ght I the sky was scoured by the beams of I powerful searchlights, also'mounted on j motor-chassis, together with the ongines and dynamos necessary for their illumination. There were other inter- | esting departments, about which little can be learned, in connection with the new weapon which aerial warfare has called into existence. In regard to the .aeroplanes themselves, it appears that the Royal Fly- | ing Corps has experimented thoroughly with everv type. The monoplane, such as M. Guillaux used in his memorable Melbourne-Sydney flight, has again come into favour, and was used extensively for scouting. The Henry and Maurice Farman biplanes, similar machines in every respect to that flown so successfully at Sydney by Mr Lcbbens Hordern, with the exception that the floats used for alighting on the water were replaced by a landing chassis with wheels, carried a pilot and observer on extended crosa-country-flights. A few of these machines were fitted with dual control, so that they could be navigated from either seat. The latest type of biplane, however, carrying two officers, was fitted with single control, while the span or wingspread was comparatively small, with the passenger seat or " nacelle " raised j high np between the planes. | Night flying was one of the most i remarkable achievements of the army airmen. Air scouts, it is stated, were able to swoop quite close to encamp- j ments of troops without being seen, al- ,; though the pickets and s°ntrios were on the look-out and actually were able ] to locate their approximate wh«re- i abouts by the whirr of the propellers, j The era of tho silent aeroplane has undoubtedly brought aircraft into mora der.dly significance.