SCOUTING IN AN AEROPLANE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 5, 22 August 1911, Page 7

SCOUTING IN AN AEROPLANE.

The experience of a London artist while trying to make “military” drawings from an aeroplane in flight are described, with illustrations, in the Juno number of “Popular Meclimics Magazine.” His suggestions for equipment for such.purpose arc as follow :

“From ray preliminary lights I saw fjiat to sketch successfully on an aeroplane one must have: (1) A book or board firmly strapped to one knee; (2) covered pencils, sharpened at both ends and securely fastened on etiings —in the one case to avoid the ncceo:it.y of using a knife for sharpening, and in the other to avoid all risk of dropping a pencil; (3) a wind shield Lo protect the hand; (-1) a means of securing new paper without having to turn a leaf. I went back home and made a board, having the paper wound on two ratcheted drums, and passing over a hard surface for drawing on. It is somewhat similar to the principles of a kodak. It has a lid which can be fastened up with brass legs to act as a wind screen, and can be strapped on to the knee. Armed with this instrument I was enabled to work with something approximating comfort. I found considerable difficulty in being able to sketch fast enough to get even a hint of the country over which we passed, owing chiefly to the fact that we did not ascend high enough. From my experience, I should say that, for purposes of military route-sketching, a height of at least 2000 ft is necessary. However, from a height of about 500 ft [ was aide to make more or less intelligible notes.”