DUEL IN THE AIR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15998, 17 August 1915, Page 4

DUEL IN THE AIR.

FRENCH AIRMEN WIN.

GERMAN MACHINE CAPTURED.

General Cherfils has received from a French lieutenant, who was formerly a cavalryman and is now an aviator, a thrilling account of an aerial combat which resulted in the destruction of a German Albatross machine by an airman flying a Morane-Liore. The principal passages of the narrative are as follows: —

We sedulously searched the sky. and presently I perceived, a long way off and high above us, a tiny speck that moved— an aeroplane. Was it French or German ? We changed our direction to go in pursuit of the little speck. We remained in tho French lines, which was so much the better, since, if we sue ceeded in bringing down the coveted game, we should be able to descend and " bag " it. After a swift chase we came near enough to identify the aeroplane as a German biplane. Leaning towards the pilot, I shouted: "Aviatik!" He heard, and his helmet nodded affirmatively. I felt wild with joy. Quickly preparations were made for a little "scrap in the air." < Soon the fighting began. I cannot say at what distance we were. A hundred, or a hundred and fifty yards, perhaps. It was an impressive moment. I felt my heart beat faster, and a sensation of complete confidence pervaded my whole system. The enemy avion was now on our right, and a little below us. The wind from the propeller had a tendency to cause my carbine to deviate, and I had to hold it very firmly. . . . The German machine, which was a triangular-tailed Albatross, seemed to approach us at lightning speed, and I wondered whether we should collide.

Collision Averted. Instantaneously my pilot .sent our Morane upwards, and lie eneniv passed, like a hurricane, immediately under us. The enemy avion was next on our left, about 40 metres distant. After firing 1 quickly reloaded. Once again the two aeroplanes approached each other at a terrific speed. At the end of my guidon I could distinguish tho German pilot's head. A jolt occurred, after which 1 could no longer see that head. It reappeared presently, and I fired. We were still above the Boche. For tho first time, the German observer appeared 1 clearly realised that he was about to fire, and then heard the noise of their well-known machine-guns- By a marvellously cool wing-movement mv pilot shot his aeroplane almost vertically upwards. Soon the upper plane of the Albatross interposed itself like a screen. I had just fired when tho Albatross passed over us, scarcely three yards awav. There, was a flash, and I leaned .prickly to the left.

Enemy Aviators Surrender. The enemy was once more upon us. at meteoric speed. Bang! I potted repeatedly, as when game shooting. Suddenly my pilot raised an arm in the air and yelled something. I could not refrain from a shout ,of triumph. The enemy avion dropped in a terrible manner. Bearing on the left wing, it seemed to glide helplessly. The propeller had almost stopped. This meant victory, and we descended almost vertically to " bag our game." \\ e executed a splendid orb movement, and passed above the Albatross, which had stopped. The two Germans threw up their hands. They were prisoners, and some of our soldiers hastened from a neighbouring village and took them away. My head whirled, my heart leaped. I could have wept for joy, as I realised <hat we had actually brought down an Albatross—with a common carbine.