For the benefit of THE NEW YORK TIMES readers, who have grown
accustomed to headlines about "German Taubes over Paris," it must be
explained that, just as all German cavalry are not Uhlans, so all German
aeroplanes are not Taubes. "Taube" is the name of the German military
monoplane, of which there are comparatively few in use; and I am
informed that hardly any Taubes have flown over Paris, the bomb-throwing
visitors having been the more practical double-decker Aviatiks. The new
model which I inspected had a monoplane body, observer and pilot sitting
tandem fashion, the Mercedes motor (several cylinders) being in front.
It was designed, not for speed but for weight-lifting, as indicated by
its formidable arsenal of bombs.
The beauty of workmanship and finish of these infernal machines was
interesting. The forty-pounders and twenty-pounders looked like
miniature torpedoes, with slightly bulb-shaped bodies and tapering
rounded noses, with a tiny three-bladed propeller for a tail and a steel
ring to serve as a hand grip. When the aviator is ready to drop a bomb
all he has to do is to make a simple adjustment, taking not more than a
second, which releases the propeller, and then throw the bomb overboard.
As it drops the propeller is set into rapid motion and drives the
clockwork mechanism inside the bomb. After a hundred-yard drop it is all
ready to explode when it strikes.
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