Viewing page 50 of 105

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

THIRD SECTION.    NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 1913.     3 

Marvellous Trip of Military Aeroplane Proves Possibilities in Mapping Enemy's Country

General Scriven, Chief Signal Officer, Immensely Pleased by Results of Experimental Work in Texas by Lieutenant Thomas De W. Milling 

Incidentally the Aviators Exceeded the Record for Distance with Pilot and One Passenger and Came Near the Record for Endurance of Flight.

[[image]]
[[caption]] FIRST MILITARY MAP MADE FROM AN AEROPLANE.
The above is a section of a military map made from an aeroplane while the machine was in flight between Texas City and San Antonio. Lieutenants Milling and Sherman, of the Signal Corps, made the trip from March 28 to April 1 last. This photograph shows a stretch of country about thirty miles from San Antonio. The map was made by Lieutenant Sherman, while Lieutenant Milling operated the machine. The straight lines represent harrowed ground. Circular lines denote wooded country, and the crossed line traversing the middle of the map is a railroad. [[/caption]]

General Scriven, Chief Signal Officer, Immensely Pleased by Results of Experimental Work in Texas by Lieutenant Thomas De W. Milling.

THE first military map made during an aeroplane flight has been received by Brigadier General George P. Scriven, chief signal officer of the army. It was made by Second Lieutenant William C. Sherman, who was observer in a recent aeroplane flight from Texas City, Texas, to San Antonio, Texas, in a Burgess-Wright tractor biplane. Second Lieutenant Thomas De W. Milling operated the machine. The map is about fifteen feet long.

Although this aeroplane trip attracted little notice outside of the army, it was one of the most important aeronautical events of the last few years. In making the trip a new American endurance record for pilot and one passenger and a new American distance record for pilot and one passenger were established. The world's distance record for pilot and one passenger is 249.4 miles, made in a measured course over Salisbury Plains, England. The Signal Corps officers flew 224 miles across country and then remained in the air another hour, so that they undoubtedly exceeded the world's record for total distance covered. Lieutenants Milling and Sherman remained in the air a total of four hours and twenty-two minutes, or within twelve minutes of the world's endurance record.

Captain A. S. Cowan, signal officer of the troops at Texas City, in commenting on the flight said:—

"The map made by Lieutenant Sherman, while crude, really contains much information that would be of military value. As a first effort it really shows that this method of securing information has many possibilities. The military value of being able to fly over unknown country for several hours at a time, covering hundreds of miles, must be obvious to any one in the military service."

Major General William H. Carter, commanding the second division, also commended the officers.

"This flight," he said, "was made under such weather conditions that I would not would not have ordered the trip. The results were most creditable and show Lieutenant Milling to have become one of the foremost aviators of the world."

Here is the joint report of Lieutenants Milling and Sherman on this record-breaking trip:—

1.—In going from Texas City to San Antonio left the ground at 2:15 P. M., March 28, 1913, in an east wind of twenty-five miles an hour. After circling the field for five minutes and attaining an altitude of 900 feet started for San Antonio. It was originally intended to make the flight by compass, verifying the course by prominent points. However, the air was extremely rough and so hazy that objects over two miles away could not be distinguished. Accordingly, after following a compass course west until the Santa Fé Railroad was reached, at a point five miles east of Algao, it was determined to follow this. The route followed passed through Algao, Arcola and Richmond, Eagle Lake, Columbus, Flatonia and Lulling to Fort Sam Houston. We arrived over Fort Sam Houston at 5:35 P. M., and continued circling the field until 6:37, when we landed. The total distance from Texas City to Fort Sam Houston over the route followed is 224 miles, making an average velocity of 68.9 miles per hour. The total time in the air was four hours twenty-two minutes.

Minor repairs were made March 29, 1913, and it was intended to start back March 30, when weather conditions were unusually good, but the preliminary trial flight demonstrated the weakness of one skid and the return was postponed until March 31. The start was made on this date at 1:29 P. M. in a south-southeast wind of twenty miles an hour, which afterward shifted into south. The route followed was the same as in going over and the landing was made at Texas City at 5:17 P. M. The total time in the air was three hours fifty-seven minutes, the average velocity fifty-six miles an hour.

2. The country from Texas City to Eagle Lake is flat and covered with saw grass. It is practically treeless, except for belts of a few hundred yards in width along the banks of rivers. From Eagle Lake to San Antonio there are forests with [[?cultivated]] areas interspersed. The country becomes rolling just east of San Antonio. On both trips extremely rough air was encountered over the forested country. On the return trip the temperature was very high, and a great deal of difficulty was experienced with up and down trends. The latter predominated, and, combined with the gusts, made climbing very difficult. The machine was dropped on one occasion about six hundred feet, and it was frequently necessary to dive it fifty to one hundred feet when one wing dropped to gain equilibrium. From Columbus to Bernard the gusts were moderate, but increased in strength there and continued until we were within ten miles of the coast, where they again moderated. Some of the severest gusts occurred over the country that was absolutely flat and following a period of comparative calm. It is believed that these were due to the action of the sun on the moist ground below, as they were particularly noticeable in the vicinity of marshy lands. One gust was so strong as to tear away the right accessory plane between the main planes. It struck the upper plane, slightly tearing the cloth, but as its chief function is the prevention of skidding this interfered with the control of the machine in no way.

3. On the return trip Lieutenant Sherman carried a cavalry sketching case for notes and sketches. A rough sketch was attempted. For orientation the board was held parallel to the sides of the fuselage and the compass bearing of the machine noted. A time scale was used. It is believed that after some experience a sketch can be made by this method, of sufficient accuracy to fulfil the requirements of a strategic reconnoissance, and locate the larger units of the enemy. This is particularly the case where it may afterward be compared with and corrected by a smaller scale map.

4. The return trip demonstrated anew the necessity for having excess power. Our specifications seem severe and would insure sufficient power under ideal weather conditions. But with a heavily laden machine and rough weather—the conditions we might normally find in war—the [[?ent]] excess of power is insufficient. Though constantly endeavoring to climb so much power was used in fighting gusts and down trends that an altitude of 1,500 feet was not gotten until practically the end of the trip. It is recommended that steps be taken to change our specifications with a view to securing greater excess power.

5. Too much emphasis cannot be laid on the necessity for great strength in construction. In some of the severe gusts and dives to recover equilibrium stresses were put on the machine many times the ordinary stresses of flying. It is doubtful whether a less stanchly built machine would have held together for the trip.

6. The fuselage type with tractor is believed to be the most desirable. It interfered in no way with the view either of pilot or observer, and the centrally located weight aided materially in recovering lateral equilibrium. With the weight more distributed laterally, it would have been more difficult to recover. The position of the pilot's seat, which gave a view of the entire plane, was found to be a decided advantage in gusty weather.

7. On the first trip forty-two gallons of gas and three and one-eighth gallons of oil were taken. All but one quart of the gas was consumed. On the return trip forty-five gallons of gas and the same amount of oil were taken. About thirty-seven gallons were consumed. The oil supply was ample for the trip. With a full supply of oil and gas, the machine can be flown five hours without replenishing either.

Transcription Notes:
Edited to remove formatting descriptions etc. as per new advanced transcription guidelines