EPIC OF THE SKY

Waikato Times, Volume 114, Issue 18986, 1 July 1933, Page 14 (Supplement)

EPIC OF THE SKY

—the earth spinning like a orazy map 17,000 feet below; a fight on the ceiling of the world. Hurtling to Extinction. MoCudden’s hands gripping the maohine-gun; eye steady; nerves drawn taut . Now! The harsh cough and splutter of lead streaming Into the Rumpler, smashing her; smashing her living brain box. Up now, out of the way. jCalm, hold steady. The Rumpler goes into a spiral dive—wings fall off —and presently is just a speck hurtling to extinction. Three like that In 30 minutes—that’s McCudden, V.C. —Major—20 years old —dead and burled. Day after day rising alone into the air to bring down 57 enemy 'planes. Captain Albert Ball, also aged 20, ran the same risks, with the same cool, calculating dare-devilry, and won 42 victories before he died. Major Bishop alone remains alive to-day. His was the record—72 Huns to bis credit at the age of 20. ■ In 1918 the R.A.F. as it is to-day was formed, and England was supreme in the air. But In the early years our men had fought at a terrible disadvantage against the swifter and better armed Fokkers, Nieuports and Taubes of the enemy. A Worthy Foe. And let It be said again to the greater 'honour of our men that the enemy was a worthy foe. In the mud of Flanders there may have been little of chivalry, but In the clean air it lived and thrived. The names of men like Richtofen and Immelmann are honoured wherever war flying is mentioned. For three more years, 1919, 1920, 1921, the R.A.F

Daring Death in the R.A.F. Achievements That Will Never Die.

patrolled over the smouldering embers of war in the East, and Iraq became, and still is, the chief centre of the R.A.F. operations. Huge bombers and troop-carrying machines to carry 50 men and equipment now patrol the North-West Frontier and keep the peace between the warlike tribes. Since the war R.A.F. machines and men have blazed trails to the uttermost parts of the earth. In 1919 two Australian airmen who had served with the Force essayed the first flight to Australia. R.A.F. 'planes were used in the London-Paris service; R.A.F. pilots prospected t'he all-red route between Cairo and India and between Cairo and the Cape. Sir John Alcock used a R.A.F. 'plane to make the first crossing of the Atlantic by a heavier-than-alr machine. A Great Reoord. ' And «o the tale goes on, and will go on to lengths beyond imagination. The R.A.F.’s twenty-one years leaves a record like this: — From 40 m.p.h. to 400 m-P-h. From 1000 feet to 45,000 feet. Prom 50 miles range to 5400 miles range. „ , .. The R.A.F. has won the Schneider trophy in 1927, 1929, and 1931 with a speed of 407 m.p.h., and the R.A.F. will hold it. A Falrey Napier R.A.F. monoplane has recently flown from Cranwell to Cape Colony, 5400 miles non-stop. The altitude record was won by a British civilian machine at Bristol. The R.A.F. ranks fifth In size amongst the nations, but it has the swiftest, deadliest and most efficient of all aircraft. We have the finest pilots. We could strike the hardest if it were necessary.