THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



19 



would carry me beyond the limits of my 

 space. Evidently it is the observer who 

 must have charge of the mission of recon- 

 naissance, of photography, of artillery 

 adjustment, or of infantry communica- 

 tions; but he is greatly assisted by the 

 pilot, whose skill and decision contribute 

 in no small measure to the successful ac- 

 complishment of the aerial task. 



This, then, is a brief sketch of the im- 

 mense task of the scout aviators. You 

 can understand why both France and 

 Germany first organized this class, so in- 

 dispensable for conducting land opera- 

 tions, offensive as well as defensive. 



Do not think that the task of the second 

 kind of aviation, that of combat, is any 

 less important or any easier. I said that 

 the aviation of combat was the younger 

 sister of reconnaissance aviation and her 

 faithful ally. This is true, for she was 

 born after the latter had attained consid- 

 erable importance, and grew up at her 

 side, her principal mission being the pro- 

 tection of her elder sister from the at- 

 tacks of the enemy. 



THE TACTICS OF FIGHTING PLANES 



I will explain in a few words the meth- 

 ods of the pursuit or fighting planes and 

 the special duties which the aviators of 

 the pursuit squadrons have to perform. 

 To understand the tactics of our ma- 

 chines you must be acquainted with the 

 methods of the enemy — that is, with the 

 formation adopted by the Germans for 

 the execution of their work. 



In normal times the German planes 

 are disposed in three stories, the most 

 elevated being also the farthest from the 

 front. 



1. The spotting and infantry planes, 

 at a height of about 3,500 feet and at 

 least half a mile from the front. These 

 are protected by : 



2. A defense (barrage) of two-seaters, 

 at a height of about 9,000 feet and from 

 two to three miles within their lines. 



3. Lastly by the "Aces," who, utilizing 

 the best single-seat and a few two-seat 

 planes, hold themselves at a height of 

 about 12,000 feet, between three and four 

 miles back of their lines. 



In periods of crisis, when an attack is 

 believed imminent, or when photographs 



are to be taken within our lines, the Ger- 

 mans launch large groups of machines 

 over the affected points. In particular, 

 reconnaissance missions are executed at 

 heights of 13,500 to 15,500 feet. 



To this rigid and defensive arrange- 

 ment we oppose a war of movement by 

 the employment of offensive cruisers, ter- 

 raced like- the enemy's machines, which 

 it is their duty to attack. 



Our fighting machines are at present 

 swift single-seaters, flying from 125 to 

 140 miles per hour, each armed with one 

 or two machine-guns, rigidly fastened to 

 the airplane and capable of shooting only 

 in the direction of the axis of the ma- 

 chine, not pivoted like the guns on war 

 vessels. 



The pilot must therefore fly straight at 

 the enemy in order to be able to fire at 

 him. He must be skillful in aiming and 

 steering at the same time, so that at the 

 moment for firing the hostile plane will 

 be in the sighting line of his machine- 

 gun. I leave you to imagine the skill 

 required to attain this result, when one 

 attacks an enemy flying at an average 

 velocity of 125 miles per hour, with his 

 own machine going at an equal or greater 

 speed. 



THE VARIOUS MODES OF ATTACK 



The following are the principal cases 

 of attack for fighting planes : 



1. The attack by an isolated single- 

 seater on a single-seater, likewise iso- 

 lated. — This is the easiest case. Above 

 all, the effect of surprise is sought, either 

 by taking advantage of fog, or by getting 

 between the sun and the adversary, or 

 getting vertically over him, where he can- 

 not see you. Having made a successful 

 approach, you must get into a good firing 

 position — a short distance below and be- 

 hind your adversary, while avoiding the 

 wind from his propeller. 



To accomplish this, each pilot uses his 

 individual methods, which vary in each 

 particular case. One of the common ma- 

 neuvers consists in diving from a suffi- 

 cient distance to about 300 feet behind the 

 adversary, dropping about 60 feet lower 

 and coming into position for firing by an 

 upward dash. 



If the enemy has suspected nothing, it 

 is "assassination." 



