WAR IN THE AIR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17100, 24 February 1916, Page 7

WAR IN THE AIR.

ON ALL FRONTS. AERIAL ACTIVITY A RECORD. By Telegraph—Preen Association—Copyright. LONDON, February 22. Communiques 4 show that yesterday was a record breaker as far as aeroplane attacks aro concerned. Apart from the destruction of the Zeppelin and tlie great raid on Don, aerial fighting is reported in all theatres, including Austrian raids- on Brescia and Milan, with small damage, and Russian laids on Buczaoz and Mauasterjisk. The French brought down a Fokker, an Albatross, and a third machine in various sectors. Seven French machines also fought four aeroplanes at HattonChatel, two being brought down. The others fled. A French “chaser” squadron attacked fifteen German machines and forced the squadron to fight at Rcvigny, bringing down one. A squadron of seventeen dropped seventy bombs of heavy calibre on the

German aerodrome at Hnbshoim and the goods station at Mulhausen. A squadron of twenty-eight bombed tho enemy's munition factory at Pagny-sur-Mozelle. All the machines returned safely. The Zeppelin, -reported in flames at Brahant-lc-roi was shot through by'an incendiary shell.

AVIATOR’S MISTAKE. BRITISH AIRMEN FOUGHT EACH OTHER. LONDON. February 22. It was stated in tho House of Commons that during tho aerial raid on Kent in January, a British aeroplane mistook a British seaplane lor an •enemy machine. A battle ensued, and anti-aircraft' gunnerswitnessing the tight, turned, their guns upon both.

BRITAIN'S AIR SERVICES. CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE. LONDON, February 22. Lord Derby is likely to be appointed chairman of the committee to be set up to co-ordinate the naval and military air service, with Colonel Sir David Henderson as his assistant*

BOMBED AUSTRIAN STAFF. A RUSSIAN RAID. . BASLE, February 22. • It is authoritatively stated from Vienna sources that Russian aeroplanes dropped thirty bombs on the Austrian staff headquarters. ZEPPELIN SHEDS. DAMAGED BY - HURRICANE. •, PARIS, February 22. Reports in Swiss newspapers state that a hurricane partially demolished Zeppelin sheds at Friedricksharcn.

MASTERY OF THE AIR. INTERESTING REVIEW. • ' GERMAN ORGANISATION. • » RE-CONQUER THE HIGHWAYS OF THE AIR. LONDON, February 22. The “Daily Telegraph,” in an authoritative review of the German air service, points out that until the summer of. 191.3 British and French aeroplanes had a clear ascendancy owing, to the superiority of their pilots, and the fact that the machines were better adapted for stress of a protracted campaign. Since then;, tho -Germans by the lavish' use of more powerful aeroplanes and the contraction of the flower of their*air service in the west, have contrived to reconquer the highwavs of tho air.

At least 650 German machines are now in active commission, with even more in reserre. The aviation establishment consists of ninety-three squadrons, each of seven aeroplanes, of which,seventy-nine are. field squadrons, one being allotted to every army corps. Eight squadrons are specially detailed for artillery observation' -■ There are also four fortress squadrons. Each German field squadron consists of three aeroplanes for observing artillery fire, unarmed, and provided with wireless apparatus, usually Aviatiks or Albatrosses; two . .fighting . machines, armed, and without wireless apparatus, mostly Fokkers: ope heavily armed and armoured machine with wireless, and one machine hold in reserve. The ammunition canned varies from • six hundred to one thousand rounds. The wireless apparatus weighs forty-five pounds. The organisation includes many training centres. Each army lias a complete aviation park, with stores, reserve machines, spare parts and workshops. Official reports covering 19L3 placed tho Austro-German losses at 210 aeroplanes and seventeen captive balloons. Tho real losses wore much higher.

THE WRECKED ZEPPELIN. DETAILS OF FRENCH SUCCESS. BOMBS EXPLODE WHEN AIRSHIP TOUCHES EARTH. (Received February 23, 9.15 p.m.) PARIS, February 22. Details.of the destruction of the Zeppelin show that at eight in the evening the airship was reported with lights out, struggling against wind at a height of 2000 metros. Gunfire was opened with incendiary shells, and one struck the side and went right through.. Flames spread from end to end in a few seconds, outlining the airship clearly. There was no explosion, and the Zeppelin slowly descended enveloped in flames. When it touched earth nil the bombs on board exploded, #nd nothing remained but tangled wreckage, in which there were between twenty and thirty naked corpses,- including that of an officer clad in a few shreds of uniform. The Zeppelin was LZ 77. a new naval type. A second Zeppelin witnessed the disaster and turned tail.

GERMAN ADMISSION. AMSTERDAM. February 22. A German communique admits the loss of a Zeppelin at Rcvigny. ■HOT MISSILE SETS ZEPPELINS ON FIRE. LONDON, February 22. Apropos of the loss of Zeppelins, it is stated that it is possible to make an incendiary non-explosive shell, plainly visible at night during its whole flight. The shell develops snob a. terrific heat that it must inevitable set fire to a Zeppelin if struck.