Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 262, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 November 1915 — DARING AIR FIGHT [ARTICLE]

DARING AIR FIGHT

British Aeroplane Eludes Six German Machines. Where Seconds Spell Difference Between Success and Failure —Thrilling Episode Related by an Aeroplane Observer in France. London. —This is an account of how a British aeroplane fought and eluded six German machines. It is taken from the journal of an aeroplane observer at the front. The Kipper and the Mound, pilot and observer of “the old cow,” caused some anxiety at the aerodrome by being late in returning from a reconnoissance. Here is the account of what actually happened, extracted from the Mound with considerable difficulty: “By the time we had gone ten miles into the hostile country three German machines began following us at almost our own height. We were not worried, because they had a good four miles to make up. “In a few minutes the Kipper shouted down the phone: ‘Look out on your left. They are trying to head us off.’ Far below us, but not far in front, two more machines were climbing towards us. “I watched the machines below while the Kipper kept those behind in the corner of his eye. In about twenty minutes we had reached the end cf our course and had completed our observations. All five enemy machines were now fairly close together in a rectangular formation, but had not gained on us. “How we were to get back and outwit the enemy was now our problem. The Kipper swung ‘the old cow’ about twice to give the impression of hesitation. The enemy, although still about two or three miles astern, turned north on the assumption that we must return the way we came. Having diverted their course, we bore east again and gained a couple of miles while the enemy was determining what to do next Keeping to their mass formation, they bore southeast, thinking they had us sure. “Things happen quickly in the air. A few seconds mean hundreds of yards and the difference between success and failure. The Kipper tilted *the old cow’s’ horns in the line the Germans were following. This lost us some ground. The Germans were so Interested ir. this that they did not notice that we were edging off to the north, just enough to insure their crossing us on our flank. In about two minutes they were almost level, but well to the right. “The moment had come for a bold stroke. The Kipper leveled the machine, poised her at a terrific angle and made in a straight line for the nearest German. The whole five tipped in unison. We knew that they would take a good twenty seconds to get under way again. Like a flash the Kipper circled outwards and made off for the lines on a straight course. There was no one to bar the way for the moment. The Germans were outwitted, but started in pursuit. That twenty seconds meantgpialf a mile to us.

“Suddenly above the roar of the engine there was the rattle of a machine gun close up, and a dull thudding tear as some 'shots found the planes. It was so misty it took us a few seconds to spot the new danger. It was an Albatross crossing us about 300 yards above. The Kipper keeled ‘the old cow’ out in an lnßtant and we were soon on a level with the new enemy, who was laboring to pass our front again. We swung towards him and charged. The pilot, who thought he had us on the run, lost his nerve and went into a spinning dive and only came out 3,000 feet below. "We resumed our homeward course without further incident.”