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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



Photograph from Laurence La Tourette Driggs 

 AEROPLANE STRUCK IN MID-AIR BY A SHELL WHICH CARRIED AWAY ONE CYLINDER 

 OF THE ROTARY MOTOR WITHOUT DESTROYING THE MACHINE 



closure that German tactics in the air 

 have permitted our enemy to destroy 

 four-fifths as many aeroplanes with one- 

 half the number of aces. 



Cowardly as those tactics are, un- 

 sportsmanlike as the enemy pilots must 

 admit themselves to be, the German 

 method of air fighting has proved its su- 

 periority over the more daring and gen- 

 erous tactics of the Allies, both in econ- 

 omy in the use of man power and ma- 

 chines and in efficiency. 



But another conclusion can also be 

 drawn from these figures. Our enemy 

 has but 40 pilots of the ace class remain- 

 ing, while the Allies have 157. The dead 

 or retired in the enemy list number 48. 

 with 923 victories, as against the 40 still 

 fighting, with 747 victories. 



So, not only have our aerial duelists 

 put hors de combat the majority of the 

 enemy's star fighters, but in accomplish- 

 ing this feat we have increased rather 

 than lessened our own supply of expert 

 duelists. 



Add to this indication of ultimate su- 

 premacy the fact that the allied nations 

 are now producing three or four times as 

 many aeroplanes as Germany, and that 

 the flying schools of the United States 

 are crowded with eager lads impatiently 

 waiting for their fighting mounts, and we 

 begin to feel that the dueling days of 

 Germany's 40 aces will soon be over. 



THE TASK OF THE ALLIED ACES 



And this 40 must be swept from the 

 skies before our machines of reconnais- 

 sance and photographing can operate to 

 perfection. Until the fighting planes of 

 the enemy are suppressed our bombing 

 machines are constantly menaced in their 

 raids over enemy lines. One week's free- 

 dom from this menace would permit our 

 bombing squadrons so to destroy the 

 enemy's railroads and highways that the 

 German forces at the front would be 

 wholly deprived of food, ammunition, 

 supplies, and reinforcements. Either re- 

 tirement or surrender must ensue. 



