One of these craft acting as a convoy, armed with a Benet-Mercier machine gun weighing about twenty pounds and with ample ammunition, could sweep the skies clean of hostile aeroplanes, while its mate, carrying reconnaissance apparatus and two officers, could gather the information which the Commanding General desires. The speed machine is for use as described above. The weight-carrying machine can carry about six thousand rounds of ammunition at a trip. Rifle cartridges weigh about one hundred pounds per twelve hundred rounds. This machine could carry enough emergency rations on one trip to subsist five hundred men for a day. It could make a speed of forty miles per hour with this weight and, in the course of a day, could, undoubtedly, make several trips of succour, provided the sending point were within fifty miles of the besieged place which is the usual case.
And now, can an aeroplane be used to prevent the other fellow from killing us?
This is a very fascinating subject as a whole. The field opened is almost limitless; but the greatest idea of all is that through this conquest of the air we are approaching more nearly to that much longed-for era of universal peace. Through the aeroplane and dirigible, man is effacing artificial barriers; he is bringing the rich closer to the poor, the powerful closer to the weak. No longer can unwise and selfish potentates, be they royal, democratic, or financial, send forth their armies to fight while themselves resting safe and secure at home. The king in his palace or the money baron on his private yacht is in as much danger from these air craft as is the high private in the muddy trenches at the front. That touches the selfish side of things. At any rate, while the aeroplane will, probably, do more to promote peace than has any previous discovery, we of the Army are still busily engaged in finding out just what it will do in war.
[CHAPTER VI THE AEROPLANE FOR THE NAVY (With an Account of the Training Camp at San Diego. By Lieutenant Theodore G. Ellyson, U. S. N.)]
THE first active interest of the Navy Department in the practical side of aviation may be said to date from November, 1910, when Glenn H. Curtiss offered to instruct one officer in the care and operation of his type of aeroplane. Prior to this date the Department had carefully followed the development of the different types of aeroplanes, but had taken no steps toward having any one instructed in practical flying, as at that time there was no aeroplane considered suitable for naval purposes. Again, shortage of officers and lack of funds for carrying along such instruction were reasons for the delay in taking the initial step. There were unofficial rumours to the effect that there would be an aviation corps organised, and it was understood that requests for such duty would be considered, but it was looked upon as an event that would take place in the dim future. At this time Mr. Curtiss made his offer to instruct an officer at his flying field which was to be located in southern California, and, as it was understood that he had in view the development, during the winter, of a machine that could be operated from either the land or the water, his offer was immediately accepted by the Navy Department, and I was fortunate enough to be detailed for this duty.
The training camp was located on North Island, opposite San Diego, California, this spot having been selected on account of the prevailing good weather, and because there was both a good flying field for the instruction of beginners, and a sheltered arm of San Diego Bay, called The Spanish Bight, for carrying on the hydroaeroplane experiments. The camp was opened on January 17, 1911, and shortly thereafter seven pupils were on hand for training, three army officers, one naval officer and three civilians.
What was accomplished there is now history, namely the development of a machine that could rise from, or land on, either the land or the water, a feat that had never before been accomplished. It is true that one man had been able to rise from the water; but in attempting to land on the same he had wrecked his machine, so this could not be called a successful experiment. This same machine which had risen from the water and landed on the land and then risen from the land and landed on the water, was flown from the aviation field to the U. S. S. Pennsylvania by Mr. Curtiss, a landing made alongside and the aeroplane hoisted on board with one of the regular boat cranes. No preparations had to be made except to fit a sling over the engine section of the aeroplane so that it could be hooked on the boat crane. The aeroplane was then hoisted over the side and flown back to the aviation field.
As I have said, the above paragraph is now history. What is not generally known is the hard work and the many disappointments encountered before the hydroaeroplane was a real success. Mr. Curtiss had two objects in view: First, the development of the hydroaeroplane, and secondly, the personal instruction of his pupils. The latter was accomplished early in the morning and late in the afternoon as these were the only times when the wind conditions were suitable, and the experimental work was carried on during the rest of the day, and, I think, Mr. Curtiss also worked the best part of the remainder of the time, as I well remember one important change that was made as the result of an idea that occurred to him while he was shaving. No less than fifty changes were made from the original idea, and those of us who did not then know Mr. Curtiss well, wondered that he did not give up in despair. Since that time we have learned that anything that he says he can do, he always accomplishes, as he always works the problem out in his mind before making any statement.
All of us who were learning to fly were also interested in the construction of the machines, and when not running "Lizzy" (our practice machine) up and down the field, felt honoured at being allowed to help work on the experimental machine. You see it was not Curtiss, the genius and inventor, whom we knew. It was "G. H.," a comrade and chum, who made us feel that we were all working together, and that our ideas and advice were really of some value. It was never a case of "do this" or "do that," to his amateur or to his regular mechanics, but always, "What do you think of making this change?" He was always willing to listen to any argument but generally managed to convince you that his plan was the best. I could write volumes on Curtiss, the man, but fear that I am wandering from the subject in hand.
One of the results of the experiments at San Diego, was to show that such a hydroaeroplane, or a development of it, was thoroughly suitable for naval use. Although it was the first of May before Mr. Curtiss returned to his factory at Hammondsport, specifications, which were approximately as follows, were sent him and he was asked if he could make delivery by the first of July:–