George Prade, a leading French authority on aircraft, told a newspaper
correspondent that the German airplanes used in the attack on Paris were
the result of a construction program decided on by the German Staff last
Summer to meet in advance what is generally known in France as the
American aviation program.
When it was announced that the Americans had decided to construct an
enormous air fleet for service on the western front, the German War
Staff developed plans for much more powerful machines. In June and July,
1917, they began the construction in series of more than 2,000 engines
much higher powered than those in previous use. These consisted of
Mercedes engines of 260 horse power with six cylinders and Maybach and
Benz, both 250 horse power, and with six cylinders. These engines took
the place of heavier but less powerful six and eight cylinder engines,
ranging from 225 to 235 horse power. The Germans thus not only gained in
power, but definitely adopted a plan for planes with two motors and two
independent propellers. Each new machine was built with three chasses, a
middle one carrying the crew, and two outside, each carrying an engine
and a propeller. Three distinct types were developed, known,
respectively, as Gothas, Friedrichshafens, and A. E. G.'s.
The length of wings ranges from 72½ to 86 feet. The propellers in
earlier machines were placed at the rear, but now they are on the front
of the cars. Machines of all three types carry either three or four men,
and are fitted with three appliances for launching bombs. The
projectiles vary enormously, ranging from aerial torpedoes, the smallest
of which weighs two hundredweight, down to small shrapnel bombs. Each of
these machines carries a minimum of 153 gallons of petrol and 15 gallons
of oil, sufficient for at least a four hours' flight. Their average
speed is between 80 and 90 miles an hour.
Referring to the question of hitting any given target, M. Prade said it
was practically impossible to strike any particular objective when a
plane was traveling at a rate of thirty-eight to forty yards a second. A
bomb must be dropped more or less at random, which is the reason why
such form of warfare is simply criminal. It is impossible to tell where
the bomb will fall. Three men are generally sufficient to handle a
machine, one for each engine and a third to drop bombs. The fourth man
carried is generally a pilot, who is able from his knowledge of Paris
districts to direct the airplane more or less accurately toward
objectives.
Big raiding machines generally are accompanied by a large number of
smaller two-seated, single-motor planes of 180 to 260 horse power, such
as are generally used for reconnoissance purposes. These planes, of
which the Hanover is the newest type, are usually of only thirty-eight
to forty feet wing spread, but can get up to 20,000 feet carrying four
small bombs.
The raid of March 11 was preceded on March 8 by an almost equally
formidable attack on Paris, the casualties being 13 killed and 50
injured. One of the raiding machines, an airplane of the Gotha type, was
found in the Forest of Compiègne, where it had fallen while returning
from the raid. All four of its occupants were killed. They included
Captain Fritz Eckstein, the commander of the raiding squadrons, and an
officer of the Kaiser's White Cuirassiers from Potsdam. Three other
machines were brought down. Altogether, fifteen trained aviators,
mechanics, and pilots were either killed or made prisoner.