Australian Naval Aviation - Part 4

Author
Issacs, Group Captain Keith
Categories
Naval Aviation, Naval Historical Review
Tags
Source

This is the final part of Group Captain Isaacs’ feature on Australian Naval Aviation In this episode he deals with enemy aircraft in World War I and how they were combated by Australians. The author is currently writing the story of naval aviation between the wars.

COUNT VON ZEPPELIN, whose name has been perpetuated in the large airships he designed and built, was planning military dirigibles as early as 1874. He began constructing his first airship in 1898, and it was test flown on 2nd July 1900 as the Luftschiff-Zeppelin 1, or LZ1 Although he had a number of setbacks, Zeppelin went on to build bigger and better airships, and when war was declared in 1914, 25 were in civil and military service.

The German Army operated a limited number of Zeppelins whose serial numbers were prefixed by LZ, while the German Navy, which employed the majority of the Zeppelins, used the single prefix L. About 88 Zeppelins were used during the war and of the 61 operational types 19 were shot down, 11 wrecked by weather, and 11 destroyed by accidents or bombed in their sheds.

The German Navy also used other types of airships including eight Schutte-Lanz or SL dirigibles, three Parseval semi-rigid airships, and one non-rigid type. The SL-type had a cigar-shaped envelope, in contrast to the rounded bow, parallel body, and long streamlined stern of the Zeppelin.

When the war ended in 1918 the Zeppelins had progressed in gas capacity from 1,000,000 to over 2,400,000 cubic feet, in engine power from 495 to over 1,500 horsepower (with seven engines), in ceiling from 6,000 to about 25,000 feet, in length from 518 to 743 feet, and in speed from 47 to almost 80 miles per hour. They were used to raid French and English cities, but their attacks were more terrifying than damaging. In fact, the night raids were the first air attacks to bring the fear of modern warfare to civilians. Zeppelins L.3 and L.4 made the first raid on England on 19th January 1915, and London was bombed for the first time on 31st May. But by the end of 1916 the Zeppelin was all but driven from the sky by aircraft and anti-aircraft gun defences, and although the raids continued into 1917 they were sporadic and ineffective.

The flagship of the 1916 Zeppelin fleet was the five-engined L.43, pride of the German Naval Airship Division. On 3rd May 1917 L.43 was being prepared for an operational flight over the North Sea at the same time that HMAS Sydney, together with HMS Dublin and four destroyers, left Rosyth to sweep the channels between the rivers Forth and Humber. At 10.25 a.m. next day Dublin observed a Zeppelin approaching from about 17 miles to the east. The two cruisers wheeled in unison towards the intruder, which was L.43, and opened fire at extreme range. Concurrently, enemy submarines began attacking the warships with torpedoes. Dumaresq, commanding the force, spread his ships and concentrated on bringing the Zeppelin to attack. With the warships firing from all sides the Zeppelin commander was goaded into action. The dirigible rose rapidly and headed for Dublin, which swerved off to starboard. The L.43 dropped three bombs near the other ships and 20 minutes later, while above Sydney at about 20,000 feet, released 10 or 12 bombs, six of them in two salvoes. Sydney retaliated by firing all her anti-aircraft rounds, some 69 shots of shrapnel. But the Zeppelin was at a safe altitude and most of Sydney’s shot fell short. During this running attack L.43 was using her wireless vigorously and about 1 p.m. another Zeppelin was seen in the northeast. By now, however, L.43 was out of bombs and Sydney had no ammunition left so ‘the combatants’, stated an officer who was in the fight, ‘parted on good terms’.

Aboard Sydney the action had caused more curiosity than alarm, and at one stage Able Seaman G. Leahy casually laid down on his back on the upper deck striving to get a good photograph of L.43 ‘with a bomb on its way down’. He was most annoyed with the result - AWM photograph A.2576 - because the bomb could not be seen! Dumaresq was annoyed too, but for a different reason. He would have given anything for an aircraft to attack the Zeppelin, but had to wait another seven months before Sydney received a scout biplane. Six weeks later, on 14th June 1917, L.43 was shot down by a Royal Naval Air Service Curtiss H.12 flying-boat. The Zeppelin went down in flames over Vlieland, fell into the sea, and no survivors were seen. The mural presentation of Zeppelin L.43, in representative combat with two Sopwith 2F.1 Camels, shows the airship before it was camouflaged black, with light top surfaces, to avoid easy spotting by searchlight crews.

Sopwith Triplane

Although it was produced only in small numbers - about 140 were built - the Sopwith Triplane was one of the most successful aircraft of the 1914-18 War. The unorthodox arrangement of three staggered mainplanes not only led to the nickname of ‘Tripehound’ or ‘Tripe’, but bestowed on the aircraft some excellent flying characteristics. In spite of its medium-powered Clerget rotary engine of 110 horsepower, the aircraft could outclimb its contemporaries and had a remarkable rate of roll. Later modifications introduced the 130 horsepower Clerget, and a smaller type tailplane, which improved the aircraft’s diving capability. The Germans were very impressed, and surprised, when they tested a Triplane which had been captured intact. Partly as a result of these tests several different types of German and Austrian triplanes were produced, including the famous Fokker Dr 1.

When the Sopwith Triplane was first wheeled out, with its simple interwing bracing, there was some speculation that the design might be structurally weak. But Sopwith’s chief test pilot Harry Hawker had no such doubts and he confidently looped the prototype, N.500, within minutes of taking off on the first test flight in May 1916. Fellow Australian Harry Busteed, as a squadron commander in the Royal Naval Air Service, also took part in the testing of the Triplane; on 22nd September he flew the 130 horsepower second prototype, N.504, at 116 miles per hour over Hendon. The Triplanes served with the Royal Naval Air Service from about February 1917 until they were replaced by the Sopwith Camel later in the year.

Although their combat service was brief the ‘Tripes’ established a remarkable war record. One particular element of Triplanes - B Flight of No. 10 (Naval) Squadron - accounted for 87 German aircraft between May and July 1917. Known as Black Flight of ‘Naval Ten’ the machines were flown by five Canadians - Collishaw, Reid, Sharman, Nash and Alexander - and their Triplanes were named Black Maria, Black Roger, Black Death, Black Sheep and Black Prince. One Sopwith Triplane, N.5912, has been preserved and is on display in the RAF Museum, Henlow; another is in Russia.

On the list of British aces of the 1914-18 War two Australians - Little and Dallas - occupy the eighth and sixteenth positions, and both men achieved many of their victories with the Sopwith Triplane. The first, Australia’s own top scoring fighter pilot, was Robert Alexander Little, born on 19th July 1895 at Hawthorn, Victoria. Little went to England in 1915 to learn to fly at his own expense because the Central Flying School at Point Cook was accepting applications only from serving army officers. He obtained his pilot’s certificate on 27th October 1915 and entered the Royal Naval Air Service as a Flight Sub-Lieutenant in January 1916. After a period of training at Eastchurch and service at Dunkirk on bombing raids he was transferred to No. 8 (Naval) Squadron in October 1916 for scout pilot duties on the Western Front. The squadron was equipped with Sopwith Pups and Little joined B Flight, which was commanded by another Australian, Flight Commander S. J. Goble. On 11th November Little, flying a Pup, shot down his first enemy aircraft, an Aviatik Cl over Beaumont-Hamel. When the squadron re-equipped with Sopwith Triplanes in February-March 1917, Little’s score stood at nine.

In retrospect it would almost seem that Little, who acquired the nickname ‘Ricki’ (after ‘Riki, Tiki, Tavi’), and the ‘Tripe’ were made for each other. His keen judgment, quick thinking, expert marksmanship and indomitable courage were admirably complemented by the Triplane’s manoeuvrability and speed. Little preferred ‘in-fighting’ and would fire only at pointblank range. Once he flew so close to an Albatros biplane that he collided with the enemy’s tailplane, and had to land with a cracked undercarriage. On another occasion, after his guns had jammed, Little purposely ran his wheels over the top wing of a DFW two-seater in an attempt to force it down.

‘Naval Eight’, as the squadron was known, was in the thick of the fighting and was opposed by the German Jagdstaffel 11 commanded by Manfred von Richthofen. But Little was not one to be deterred by reputations. On 7th April 1917 he engaged, single-handed, 11 Albatros scouts which he outflew and outfought for almost 30 minutes. Watchers on the ground, including von Richthofen himself, later testified to the superb tactics of Little and his control of the situation. An enemy aircraft to Little was something that should not be in the sky, and scouts and two-seaters of many makes - Halberstadts, DFWs, Aviatiks, LVGs, Fokkers and Albatros aircraft - all fell to his guns. In most cases the impact of his close-in firing caused wings, tails, and even fuselages to break up in the air. The book Fighting Triplanes by Evan Sadingham, contained several vivid descriptions and eyewitness accounts of Little’s extraordinary ability as a fighter pilot, including an interesting study of Little written by Sir Geoffrey Bromet. Typical phrases from the book highlight the Australian’s technique: ‘Little’s tactics were unorthodox and startling in their audacity . . . on 10th May Little again found himself outnumbered when he engaged five Albatros scouts . . . meanwhile, Little was at it again this time attacking three two-seaters . . . during July Little was in good form; he was awarded the DSO immediately followed by a bar to it!’

Little flew in several of the squadron’s Triplanes but his own aircraft was Triplane N.5493, which carried the name ‘Blimp’, and had the pilot’s seat moved forward to improve manoeuvrability and speed. Flying this aircraft Little shot down 15 enemy aircraft between 8th April and 27th July, including five in the latter month. His tally continued to mount rapidly, and decoration followed decoration. Little was eventually posted back to England for a rest period about the same time as the Triplane was being replaced in the squadron; apparently he flew Camel N.6378 before he left the unit. In April 1918 Little returned to the front to join No. 203 Squadron, Royal Air Force (previously No. 3 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service) where he met his death flying a Camel, as described in the Gotha G V narrative. But there is no doubt that he was one of the greatest Triplane exponents of the war. The London Times of 24th July 1918 revealed in an obituary that ‘Captain Robert Alexander Little . . . held the record among pilots of the late RNAS for enemy machines destroyed.’

‘A . . . brilliant Triplane pilot,’ wrote John Killen in A History of Marine Aviation 1911-68, ‘was Roderic Stanley Dallas.’ Dallas was born on 29th July 1892 at Mount Stanley in Queensland and, like Little, he joined the Royal Naval Air Service as a Flight Sub- Lieutenant. He spent most of 1915 training, and at the end of the year was posted to fly Nieuport scouts and two-seaters with No. 1 Wing. There he picked up the name ‘Brequet’ from Major Bell, as described in Reveille, May 1935. (Bell was another Australian who served with Royal Naval Air Service Nos. 1 and 3 Squadrons and later commanded No. 210 Squadron, Royal Air Force - previously No. 10 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service - in 1918. It is believed that Bell also flew Triplanes for a short period.) Dallas stayed with No. 1 Wing after it became No. 1 (Naval) Squadron, and on 4th June 1917 took over command. His squadron became the first operational unit to be equipped with Sopwith Triplanes, and 16 were delivered by 15th February 1917. Dallas took the first Triplane into action on 1st February when he attacked and forced down an Aviatik while flying N.5436. On 17th February he shot down a second Aviatik in similar circumstances. On another occasion Dallas was in company with Flight Sub- Lieutenant T. C. Culling when their two Triplanes met an enemy formation of 14 DFW C V two-seaters and Albatros singleseat scouts.

The German pilots were flying towards the lines at 16,000 feet on a mission that appeared to be of some importance (wrote the British Official Historian), but they were frustrated by the Sopwiths which fought the Germans for 45 minutes, kept their formation split up, shot three of them down (one fell in flames and one crashed), and left the remainder only when the German pilots had retreated, individually and at a low height, far to the eastward. The Triplanes had the superior speed and climbing powers, and the two pilots were enabled to keep up a continuous series of attacks. They each chose an enemy aeroplane, made a short dive, put in a rapid burst of fire, regained height on a climbing turn, and then repeated their diving attacks.

Details of Dallas’ victories are not accurately recorded (it is known that on occasions he did not submit combat claims for aircraft he forced down) but his score and decorations accumulated while he was flying the Triplane. Dallas flew a number of the squadron’s machines including N.5436, N.5491 and the prototype N.500. Although he went on to command other squadrons and fly other aircraft - No. 201 Squadron with Camels, and No. 40 Squadron with S.E.5as - Dallas had a particular liking for the Triplane. On 19th June 1918 Major Dallas, DSO, DSC and Bar, and Croix de Guerre, with at least 39 enemy aircraft to his credit, was himself shot down and killed in an S.E.5a near Lievin while fighting three Fokker Dr I triplanes. ‘Dallas,’ wrote Lieutenant-Colonel E. A. Ewart, ‘was one of the finest flying men I have ever met and put up some amazing performances . . . that made his name famous throughout the airmen . . . to whom he was affectionately called ‘The Admiral’.’

Yet another Australian to fly the Sopwith Triplane was Flight Commander S. J. Goble who was born in Croydon, Victoria, on 21st August 1891. Like Dallas, he too rose to command in the Royal Naval Air Service. Goble had less time than his colleagues on the Triplane but he used it to good advantage while serving with No. 8 (Naval) Squadron. In 1917 Goble took over No. 5 (Naval) Squadron which he continued to command when it became No. 205 Squadron, Royal Air Force, in 1918. This squadron was equipped successively with 1½ Strutters, DH4s and DH9as. About mid-1918 Major Goble, DSO, OBE, DSC, with seven confirmed enemy aircraft to his credit, returned to Australia on sick leave. He went on to serve with the Royal Australian Air Force and his flying achievements in later years are described in Volume II of this series.

One other Australian who flew Sopwith Triplanes was R. P. Minifie. Although this fine pilot accounted for 21 enemy aircraft, very little information about his achievements has been recorded. However, it is known that he flew with No. 8 (Naval) Squadron alongside his countrymen, Goble and Little.

Albeit the Sopwith Triplane of the Royal Naval Air Service was never used by the Australian Flying Corps, or indeed the Royal Flying Corps (except for one machine), it owed part of its fame to at least six Australians - test pilot Harry Hawker, and the naval officers Busteed, Little, Dallas, Goble and Minifie.

L. Gotha G V.

Towards the end of 1916 the home defence forces of Britain had reached a stage where they were having a marked effect against the Zeppelins and other types of airships raiding the country. It became obvious to the Germans that the lighterthan- air machines were too vulnerable for use against such well-defended targets. Consequently, the German High Command ordered the development of heavy bombers to take over the task from the airships. Some of the more successful types to emerge were the series of twin-engined Gotha biplanes. In fact, the name Gotha became as much a household word in Britain, with its associations of terror and horror, as the name Zeppelin had been.

Gothaer Waggonfabrik of Berlin produced a number of landplanes and seaplanes in the early years of the war, but the first large bomber aircraft of any importance was the Gotha II of 1916. The next version, the G III, introduced a ventral gun-tunnel, which permitted the rear gunner to fire backwards and downwards under the tail, in addition to his normal field of fire from the top rear gun position. The improved G IV had an increased endurance for seven hours of flight, and the G V was the final major version to be produced.

On 13th June 1917, 14 Gothas attacked London in daylight, causing more casualties and damage than all the Zeppelin raids had done up to that time in the same area. Similar raids followed and, as a result of public outcry, scout aircraft were withdrawn from the front line in France and repositioned in areas where they were likely to intercept the Gothas. One of these units was No. 66 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, in which Lieutenant P. G. Taylor was serving at the time. Taylor devised a plan of action for his flight of Sopwith Pups, whereby he hoped to overcome the gunner defences of the Gothas by intercepting in force from the rear. By concurrently attacking as many bombers as possible, Taylor reasoned that the concentrated fire from the rear gunners would necessarily be diverted and less effective. In the event the squadron, which was based at Calais, did not sight even a single Gotha ‘because they were either back on the aerodrome before we were alerted,’ stated Taylor in Sopwith Scout 7309, ‘or had purposely come in over the neutral territory of Holland where we were not supposed to fly.’

Other scout squadrons were more successful, however, and by the spring of 1918 the Gothas were forced to make their raids at night. Surprisingly, the Gotha attrition rate included more aircraft lost in landing accidents than in operations against Allied aircraft, and balloon-cable defences. Apparently the Gotha had a tendency to nose over on landing and the G Vb, which entered production in 1918, was fitted with a forward projecting pair of nose-wheels to overcome this fault.

The Gothas made their last raid in force on England on the night 19th-20th May 1918. The efforts of the bombers were then directed towards targets in France, and on the night of 27th May the Gothas carried out a bombing raid on St. Omer. One of the Royal Air Force units in the area was No. 203 Squadron (previously No. 3 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service), in which Captain R. A. Little was flying Sopwith Camels. The limited flying instruments carried in aircraft made night flying a challenge in itself, but Little was not one to be deterred when the hunt was on. In no time he was on the tail of one of the Gothas and was closing in for the attack when fate made one of its unpredictable moves. Quite suddenly Little was blinded by the sweeping beam of a ground searchlight. Taking advantage of the situation the rear gunner of the bomber fired into the Camel and wounded Little in the thigh and stomach. Although he managed to get his aircraft down, Little was suffering severely and crashed on landing. He died soon afterwards, and was buried in the tiny cemetery at St. Wavans, wherein lies another great scout pilot, Major J. T. B. McCudden, VC. Little’s enthusiasm to fight back at the enemy had never flagged, and reports of his combats read more like fiction than fact. The following Royal Air Force communique for 21st April 1918 (the day Richthofen fell) is a typical example:

‘Capt. R. A. Little, 203 Sqn, attacked the rear machine of a formation of 12 E.A. and watched it fall to 1,000 feet near Vieux Berquin completely out of control. Capt. Little was then attacked by six E.A. and was driven down through the formation below; he put his machine into a spin and his controls were shot away causing his machine to dive to within 100 feet of the ground when it flattened with a jerk, breaking the fuselage just under the pilot’s seat. Capt. Little undid the belt and was thrown clear when the machine struck the ground. The E.A. continued to fire at him, but he opened fire with his revolver at one E.A. which came down to about 30 feet; the E.A. were eventually driven off by our infantry with rifle and machine-gun fire.

Little was officially credited with 47 enemy aircraft shot down and was awarded the DSO and Bar, DSC and Bar, and the Croix de Guerre. This distinguished Australian was a dedicated, and extremely efficient fighter pilot who achieved greatness at an early age. He was only 22 when he died.

Possibly related posts

Join the Society today

This article was originally printed in the Naval Historical Review - June 1974 edition.
If you enjoyed this, then why not take out your own subscription. The Review is published quarterly to all members of the Society. By joining the Society you will always have the latest copy on hand and well before it comes onto the web site.