MAMMOTH REPAIR SHOP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16467, 17 February 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

MAMMOTH REPAIR SHOP.

AN AEROPLANE CEMETERY. •/ A \ < i BEHIND THE : FRENCH . LINES. Not far from Paris, in a big stretch of open country, says a, correspondent of the New York Times, one finds a'large number of wooden buildings—one of several aeroplane manufacturing plants under control of the Government. The interior of this factory, is far, piore interesting than a flight in the clouds, and our party saw both. When we visited the factory we were first shown the dirigible airships, which at one time wore thought to be more useful than the aeroplane, and which now seem so inadequate for the work that a high-powered biplane is capable of doing. Indeed!, the dirigibles did not seem to be as useful as the observation balloons which are anchored 1000 ft in tho air, and can be raised or lowered quickly upon the approach of a hostile craft. A groat many of these balloons are sent up at regular intervals along the Rattle-front, and from them the observers can follow the line of enemy trenches, and see any other things that an aeroplane pilot might miss while flying rapidly, 1000 'Planes 1 Ten Minutes. One readily gets an idea of the requirement of the air service after a visit to the factory, which consists of more than 25 buildings. In ten minutes we must have seen at least 1000 aeroplanes, yet this is only one of the plants that turn ' out the material used by French aviators, whose daily task consists of scouting. gun-spotting, and fighting ..the enemy 'planes. Not v only were the buildings filled with machines, but one found them on motor-trucks, on freight cars, and in a field near-by. In each building the work is specialised. In one the engines are tested, in another the strength of the wings are tried out. A3 the machines are returned in more or less battered condition from the fighting ground they are taken apart immediately. The wooden bars are thrown in one pile, parts of the engine in another, tho wheels compose another heap. It is all systematic 1 and efficient. The rapidity with which the machines are repaired is an indication of war's effect upon aeroplane construction. The officer in charge of the plant said that (it least fifteen aeroplanes, usually in bad condition, come in each day, while fifteen ' new 'planes are sent out to take their ' place. The army is never without the necessary number of aircraft. Motortrucks are always ready to take them, folded up, to the train,- which quickly carries them to the air stations near the front. About 2000 men, expert mechanics . and engineers, are employed at the fac- ■ tory. I In one building the detailed work was . done. Here men planed down the wooden struts and tested wires and the attach- [ ments which bind the wires to the frame. ■ In a room like a ball-way the wings were '■ being covered. This work was done by. [ women— only work they do in the factory. Some were ' sewing the tough i canvas in large strips, others were stretch- . ing them diagonally over the wooden ( frame, and varnishing the wings with a , solution which makes the canvas look like . aluminium. It - also makes the wings . strong, and leaves a glossy finish, which , is little affected by water. i They also showed us what they called . " the cemetery of broken aeroplanes.", On one side of us was a big pile of metallic I parts, which was fully 20ft high, and moro i than 30ft in diamter. It was a vivid illusl tration of the destructiveness of modern ■ warfare in the territory of the clouds. • There was another pile, almost as high, i of the wooden parts of the 'plane; the broken wings were kept together, and ' there was a mound of damaged engines! i Fow of the latter were so badly wrecked that they could not be used, or, at least, i their parts i£sed in future construction. » There is no squandering of material, no waste of resources in this factory. P Not far from the plant, and in closo , association with it, is a large training f ground for aviators, A great many youngI sters were learning to fly here, and at least 75 of them wore American boys. They lead an interesting life. Several large dormitories are built for them, and ' they get their meals in a town near tho training grounds. Well-known aviators f Servo as instructors. A Marvel. 1 r Within a short space of time I mado , two flights, one in a French aeroplane, r another in a British machine, In the t French machine, a biplane, I took my seat J ahead of the pilot. At my feet was a • glass panel through which I could always look down to earth. The machine had • two engines of about 75-horse-power each. 1' In England I went one afternoon to a I small town not far from London, where 1 I had a close view of the British trainingr ground. The men wore tho dark blue uniforms of the navy, but there'were not • so many of them as ,1 saw in France. - Lieutenant T— had prepared for my visit, 0 fltfd suggested that we stay up for. at • least an hour. The wind was cold and squally, and as wo walked toward the hangar the officer pointed to the moving clouds. His machine, he said, was the most'powerful of all the British war 'planes, capable of going over 100 miles an hour. No one was flying when we started. The , machine was a marvel. The wing span - was short, and the single engine exceed- . ingly powerful. This timo I sat behind a tho pilot. The interior equipment was f amazing. _ There was the perfection of f detail which is so well developed in the s expensive automobiles of the day. The 1 apparatus about our seats resembled the - dashboard of a modern motor-car. There - wero gauges which marked how fast the wind was blowing, how fast, wo wero a going, the speed of the engine, and our i height at any given time. There were 0 tubes connecting our two seats, so that, - not withstanding the terrific noiso of tho 1 engine, wo could communicate with each • other while in the air. > Surrounding ,mo was the support for a a gun which had been temporarily removed. 1 Ono of the officers had lent mo a heavy leather coat, a cap which fitted completely '] over tho head, and a pair of goggles and mittens. After I had drawn a leather 3 belr, across my chest and fastoned it with 0 due care, the signal was given. Ono turn J of the propeller and our engine was spinning at a loud rate, driving a shaft of air '• behind that mado breathing most difficult j at first. The suffocation and noise were barely noticeable after jive had risen a short distance from the ground. Ido not think it could have been moro than six or seven minutes before we wore noarly 9000 ft in the air, although it must be said that heights .makes little difference after you have climbed over 1500 ft. The difference between 2000 ft and 10,000 ft can only be noticed ,-by a trained aviator. £ When we weve over 9000 ft high the engine o sputtered a few times and stopped, caus- ® ing a rapid descent, which I welcomed ® heartily owing to the intense cold of the , higher altitude, We came down in a little more than two minutes. The pressure on the ears was very painful, and I suffered t from a headache for the rest of tho day.