Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 127, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 June 1918 — BRITISH AIRMEN SHOW QUICK WIT [ARTICLE]

BRITISH AIRMEN SHOW QUICK WIT

Ability to Deal With Unexpected Situations Gives Them Superiority in Air. UMS HUN NIHIUL FIGHT I '■ '' "■■■ Young Pilot, Caught With Gun Jammed, Crashes Into German Craft, Sending It Hurtling to Earth. Behind the British Lines In France. —A British machine rammed a Get-, man airplane in an aerial battle a few days ago. The British machine afterward made a successful landing, but the German machine was demolished. The whole Incident, shows the necessity for an airman to develop an almost supernatural ability to deal with unexpected siutattons. It is generally believed one of the chief reasons tor the present German Inferiority in the air is that the average German pilot Is Incapable of adjusting his mental bal- 1 ance in performing or anticipating the unexpected. In this particular contest the German .airman got his gun to bear at point-blank range on the British pilot tn midair, the Britisher’s gun being temporarily out of action owing to a jam. The British machine was one of a squadron engaged tn a long distance reconnoissance behind the German lines. They had been heavily attacked by a German patrol, but by splendid gunnery and superb airmanship had driven off the Germans after downing four of them. Quick Wit Caves Briton. It was while pursuing one of the fleeing German machines that the*pilot’s gun jamjned, and he forced to break off bls pursuit and climb up to the shelter of his squadron until his gun could be got into action again. Before he could regain his altitude the German'dived down on him. The enemyplane came out of the heart of the, sun straight at him, so he did not see the approach of his antagonist until the latter’s bullets came whizzing through his wings. Glancing up, he saw his enemy only a few yards away. It was impossible for the British pilot to dive or sideslip. The German would simply have followed him down and continued to pump in bullets at point-blank range. Neither could he .remain on his course or a German bullet wgpld surely reach him. In a flash he summed up the situation, saw the only chance open to him, and snatched at It Instantly. Drawing back his control lever he sent his machine shooting upward to meet the oncoming German. Before the later realizjd what was happening the two airplanes were in collision. But the British pilot had so judged things—more by luck -than good management, he afterward declared —that his undercarriage crashed into the enemy’s upper ’plane, tearing it clear of the main structure. Lands Crippled Craft Safely. Both machines turned turtle as a result of the tremendous Impact and nose-dived earthward, a dive from which the German never recovered. He went crashing completely out of control. " The British pilot flattened out his machine after falling 500 feet and was able to rejoin his squadron minus his undercarriage, but with his machine otherwise almost undamaged. But he had yet to land his machine in safety, and landing an airplane without an undercarriage is no easy task. His comrade- all got down before him and gathered in a silent group at one corner of the aerodrome to watch him come down. His commander was so certain disaster Impended that he ordered an ambulance to be got ready. But the pilot confounded all their fears, and thereby added greatly to his professional reputation. He stalled his airplane when only a few feet from the ground —that is, he pointed its nose upward until the forward speed was nearly off the engine. Slowly the tail sank downward. The rear skid touched earth and dragged along the surface for a few yards. Then the air-

plane fell forward and stopped with a jerk. Hardly a fastening was strained, and the pilot coolly stepped down on the turf to receive the congratulations of his comrades.