AVIATION. THE great European war which began on July 28 with Austria's declaration of war against Servia and soon entangled Germany, Russia, Great Britain, France, Belgium, Japan and Turkey offered the first comprehensive opportunity for the use of aircraft in actual warfare on a large scale. Almost all the nations engaged were represented by large fleets of aeroplanes, spherical and dirigible balloons, and some hydroaeroplanes. These were immediately called into use with varying success. In some respects the general aircraft did not equal the brilliant forecasts which preceded the entry of this new arm of the service into war. Of the various types the aeroplane, both armored and unarmored, proved the most effective. For scouting purposes it was extremely effective Carrying one or two officer-observers in addition to the aviator, these machines flew for miles over the armies and positions of the combatants, returning with reports within a few hours that it would have required days to secure under the former methods With these reports as guides it became possible to shell concealed positions, rush reinforcements to threatened quarters, follow closely the tactics and manoeuvres of the enemy. In the actual destruction of life and property however, the aircraft in war did not reach the point of effectiveness previously predicted. German dirigibles of the Zeppelin type made several night attacks on Antwerp, dropping bombs which killed approximately a score of persons and wrecked several buildings. Numerous battles in the air between rival aviators and attacks on dirigibles by aeroplanes were reported but no authentic list of casualties or captured machines are available at press time. Occasional accounts of damage done by aviators dropping bombs on active combatants are also reported, but the chief use of the aircraft in the early months of the war was that of scouting, and in this department of aviation the aeroplane proved of great value in the titanic battles in Belgium, France, and Poland. Within the past two years the War Departments of the nations of the world adopted the policy of refusing to disclose the number and equipment of their aerial navies and the sums expended for this arm of the service The following tables, therefore, are based on estimates made by various aeronautical organizations and experts. While not absolutely official or correct in all cases, they show approximately the aerial strength of the nations of the world including in particular those now at war: CERTIFIED AVIATION PILOTS. List of aviation pilots as compiled by the International Aeronautical Federation. A list of the known balloons of all types, except spherical, in the possession of those nations now at war, at the opening of hostilities is appended: FRANCE. Name and make, year built, and gas capacity. Speiss (1914), 16,000 cubic metres; Adjutant-Reau (Astra-Conte, 1911), 9,000 cubic metres; Capitaine-Ferber (Zodiac, 1911), 9,000 cubic metres; Commandant-Coutelle (Zodiac, 1911), 9,000 cubic metres; Selle-de-Beauchamp (Lebaudy, 1911), 8,000 cubic metres; Adjutant-Vincent (ClementBayard), 9,000 cubic metres; Capitaine-Marchal (Lebaudy, 1911), 7,500 cubic metres; Depuy-deLome (Clement-Bayard, 1912), 9,000 cubic metres; Fleurus (Clement-Bayard, 1912), 6,500 cubic metres: Eugene-Montgoiner (Clement-Bayard, 1913), 6,200 cubic metres; Le Temps (Zodiac, 1911). 2,500 cubic metres. RUSSIA. Name and make, year built, and gas capacity. Parseval XVIII. (1913), 10,000 cubic metres; Astra XIII. (1913), 10,000 cubic metres; ClementBayard VII. (1913), 9,600 cubic metres; Albatros (1913), 9,000 cubic metres; Militery PL VII. (Parseval), 6,700 cubic metres; Le Lebedi (Lebaudy, 1910), 3,700 cubic metres; Komissiony (ClementBayard I., 1910), 3,500 cubic metres; Goluley (Astra, 1910), 2,270 cubic metres; Korschum (Zodiac, 1910), 2,140 cubic metres; Tshaika (Zodiac. 1910), 2,140 cubic metres; Kobtschix (1912), 2,150 cubic metres; Sokal (1914), 2,500 cubic metres. GREAT BRITAIN. THE following list of aviators, killed during flights in 1914, does not include those who lost their lives In the European war. No accurate list, either in number or name, was available at the time of going to press. Place. Lushington, England. Santiago, Chile.. Johannisthal, Germany. Samar, Turkey.. Amberieu, France.. Buenos Ayres, Argentina.. Vienna, Austria.. Netheravon, England. Netheravon, England. Chalons Camp, France. Cause. Machine turned turtle. Error in landing. Machine capsized. Lost control. Machine side-slipped. Sharp banking. Plane capsized. Wind gust. Lost control. Motor trouble. Sharp banking. Broken wing. AVIATION FATALITIES-Continued. Place. Buc, France.. Petrograd (St. Petersburg) Zwettl, Austria. Turin, Italy. Tokio, Japan. English Channel.. Lake Maggiore, Italy Toul, France.. Hellgoland, Germany. Chartres, France. Gatchina, Russia. Gatchina, Russia.. Vienna, Austria. Petrograd (St. Petersburg). Mecklenburg, Germany. Metz Germany Lorraine, Germany Martelange, Belgium. Soesterberg, Holland.. Rheims, France. Saumur, France. Petrograd (St. Petersburg). Saarburg, Germany.. Winslaken, Germany.. Portsmouth, England. Juvisy, France... July July July 3. July 6. July 10. Capt. Jeusipow July 13. Mechanic } July 13. Lieut. Hubert. Otchakov, Russia. Kiewit, Belgium... Capt. Firsoff July 13. Odessa, Russia. Novare, Italy Netheravon, England. War Zone, France.. Cause Collision in air. Wind gust. Lost control. Broken plane. Explosion Machine side-slipped. Lost control Violent landing. Broken wing Engine trouble. Machine turned turtle. Motor trouble. Broken plane. Collision in air. Unknown. Abrupt landing. Machine capsized. Lost control. Drowned. Drowned. Broken plane. Drowned. Broken strut. Unknown. Machine side-slipped. Drowned at sea. Collision in air Machine buckled Abrupt landing Lost control Propeller broke. Sharp turn Machine collapsed. Unknown Collision in air Drowned. Lost control Broken strut Machine collapsed. Unknown. Unknown Shot-war victim. Shot-war victim. Shot-war victim. Unknown. Error in landing. Shot-war victim. Shot-war victim. 412 LONDON-PARIS-LONDON AEROPLANE RACE, JULY 10, 1914-510 MILES. PILOT AND MACHINE. PARIS. Arrived ELAPSED TIME. Total. Paris. London. H. M 8. H. M. S.H. M. S. *T. E. Hearn, 80 h.p. Bleriot monoplane. *E. Renaux, 120 h.p. M. Farman biplane. L. Noel, 80 h.p. Morane-Saul- W. L. Brock, 80 h.p. Morane- R. R. Skene, 120 h.p. Martin- R. Garros, 80 h.p. Morane- Carried passenger. 8.05 A. M. 12. 10 P. M. 8.10 A. M./12.04 P. M. † Placed third. 7 13 Ar.Jul.11 1.18 P. M. LONDON-MANCHESTER-LONDON AEROPLANE RACE, JUNE 20, 1914-322 MILES. CIRCUIT-OF-LONDON AEROPLANE RACE, JUNE 6, 1914-100 MILES. Elapsed H. M. S. 5 56 12 442 26 756 17 Elapsed Time. H. M. S. 1 18 54 1 46 27 1.49 50 1 15 09 SCHNEIDER CUP INTERNATIONAL HYDROAEROPLANE RACE, MONTE CARLO, 30 05 54 46 1 22 56 20 57 29 17 41 33 57 54 Did not start. Did not start. MONACO AERIAL RALLY, OPTIONAL ROUTES FROM SEVEN EUROPEAN CAPITALS TO MONACO, OPEN APRIL 1 TO 15, 1914. Results: Twenty-five entries, twelve starters, five finishing full course. First-Garros, Morane-Saulnier, Gnome motor, Monaco-Paris, 1,293 kil. in 12h. 14m. 21s. Over Over sea 1h. 41m. 27 1-5s. land 10h. 32m. 53 4-5s. Second-Garros, Morane-Saulnier, Gnome motor, Brussels-Monaco, 1,293 kil. in 12h. 27m. 13s. Over Over sea 2h. 19m. 55s. land 10h. 7m. 18s. (record). Third-Brindejonc des Moulinais, Morane-Saulnier, Gnome motor, Madrid-Monaco, 1,293 kil. in Over sea 3h. 9m. 10 2-58. Over land 12h. 53m. 21 1-5s. 16h. 2m. 21 3-58. Fourth-Renaux, M. Farman. Renault motor, Buc Monaco, 1,293 kil. in 53h. 58m. 43 2-5s. Over Över sea 2h. 53m. 30 2-5s. land 51h. 5m. 13s. Fifth-Verrier, H. Farman, Gnome motor, Buc-Monaco, 1,293 kil. in 63h. 15m. 288. H. Kantner, Schmitt. 50 h.p. Gnome. Elapsed Time. 43m. 26 1-59. 46m. 46 4-58. PRINCE HENRY CIRCUIT, GERMANY, MAY 17-25-DISTANCE 1,800 KILOMETRES. Mar. 12 Lieut. de L'Escaille and Lieut. Destrem St. Raphail, Fr., to Ajaccio, Corsica 2h. 45m. Nieuport. The act of Congress approved July 18, 1914, created an "Aviation Section" in the Signal Corps, authorizing an addition to that corps of sixty ofcers of the grades of captain and first lieutenant, and 260 enlisted men. The officers are to be charged with the duty of operating or supervising the operation of all military air craft and all appurtenances belonging thereto and in the instruction of the enlisted men. The officers are to be selected from the next lower grade in the line of the army and are to be rated as military aviators and junior military aviators. Those to be rated as military aviators shall not exceed fifteen and to be selected from the junior military aviators after three years' service with that rating. The act also provides that there shall be attached to the aviation section a sufficient number of aviation students to make, with the aviation officers actually detailed in said section, a total number of sixty aviation officers and aviation students. Military aviators receive 75 per cent. increase in their pay, and junior military aviators 50 per cent. increase, and aviation students 25 per cent. increase while on duty requiring them to participate regularly and frequently in aerial flights. Aviation enlisted men, while on duty that requires them to participate regularly and frequently in aerial flights or while holding the rating of aviation mechanician, the number of which shall not at any time exceed forty, shall receive 50 per cent. increase in their pay. |
