The army in the trenches, and on the fields below, witnessed the novel combat. The flying ships were now approaching the earth, but the gunners below dared not use their guns, because in the maneuvers they would be as likely to strike friend as foe.
The wounded Taube was now shooting to the earth, and the two monoplanes began to give their attention to the other ship, which was attempting to escape to the north. The flash of the guns of all the fliers could be plainly seen, but the sounds were drowned by the roar of the great conflict all about them.
The Taube could not escape the net around her. She, too, was doomed. A shot seemed to strike the gasoline tank, and the framework was soon enveloped in flames. Then she turned sidewise, as the material on one side burned away, and skidding to the left she darted to the earth, a shapeless mass.
It was found that the aviator was not hurt by the shot, but was, undoubtedly, killed by the impact with the earth. The observer was riddled with bullets, and was likely dead before the ship reached the earth.
In the western confines of Belgium, near Ypres, the British employed numerous aircraft, many of them biplanes, and at all times they were in the air, reporting observations. Many of the flying fights have been recorded, and the reports when published will be most thrilling reading.
HOW AEROPLANES REPORT OBSERVATIONS.—It may be of some interest to know how aeroplanes are able to report observations to the commanders in the field, from the airship itself. Many ingenious devices have been devised for this purpose.
SIGNAL FLAGS.—The best known and most universally used method is by the use of signaling flags. Suppose the commander of a force is desirous of getting the range of a hidden battery, or a massed force in his front. The observer in the aeroplane will sail over the area at an understood altitude, say one mile in height.
The officer in charge of the battery, knowing the height of the airship, is able, by means of the angle thus given him, to get the distance between his battery and the concealed point beneath the airship. The observer in the airship, of course, signals the engineer officer, the exact point or time when the airship is directly above, and this gives him the correct angle.
The guns of the battery are then directed and fired so as to reach the concealed point. It is now important to be able to send intelligible signals to the officer in charge of the battery. If the shot goes beyond the mark, the observer in the airship raises the flag above his head, which indicates that it was too high.
HOW USED.—If the shot fell short he would lower the flag. If the shot landed too far to the right, this would be indicated by the flag, and if too far to the left, the signal would, in like manner, be sufficient to enable the gunners to correct the guns.