AVIATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17320, 21 May 1918, Page 5

AVIATION

ALLIED SUCCESSES. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, May 19. Altogether 109 German aeroplanes were destroyed on the west front on Wednesday and Thursday— 81 by the British, 25 by tho French, and three by the Americans. On the Italian front 100 enemy machines were brought down in 30 days. BRITISH AIRMEN VERY BUST. THE OFFICIAL RECORDCOLOGNE RAIDED. Australian end N.Z. Cable Association and Renter. LONDON, May 19. Sir D. Haig's aviation report states: Our aeroplanes on Friday dropped 22 tons of bombs on Tournai, Courtrai, and Chaulnes railway stations, also on several aerodromes and billets. All along the front hostile aircraft are less active than recently, although large formations were encountered well east of the lines. Our night-fliers dropped 10 tons of bombs on Chaulnes, Haubourdin, Douai, and Marcoing stations, and on Peronne and in the neighbourhood of Bapaume. They aJso dropped 32 heavy bombs on the Thionville and _ Metz railway stations, several direct hits being observed, while a fire started at Thionville. We made a successful daylight raid on Saturday on railway stations, factories, and barracks in Cologne, where 33 bombs were dropped, bursts being seen in the railway sheds. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. AMSTERDAM, May 19. Six allied aviators raided Cologne and caused much damage in the centre of the town. Fourteen people were killed and 40 injured. FAMOUS FRENCH FLIER KILLED. LONDON, May 19. Hie famous French airman Eugene Gilbert was killed while testing an aeroplane. DEPARTMENTAL BLUNDER. AN ABANDONED PROJECT. LONDON, May 19. The Teport of the Select Committee on National Expenditure shows that after £500,000 had been expended on preparatory work in establishing an instructional school for aerial gunnery at Loch Doon, in Ayrshire, the project was abandoned because the climatic conditions of the locality were unfavourable to flying; also because it would have been necessary to dram a large bog to make an aerodrome.