Hello All
Now, when I say kites I don't mean as in bandits, tally ho, rhubarb, or anything like that. I means kites as in kites, or cerfs volants as they call them here in France.
I've just been leafing through a French language magazine dealing with the war in the air when I came across a photo showing a group of French soldiers looking at a contraption which appears based around several box kites bolted together with little triangular wing type extensions; it seems a bit like the back end of one of Des' amazing scratch builds! Translated, the caption reads something like In 1915, the French army used series of kites to observe the enemy lines. Equipment of this type had been conceived by captain Saconney before the Great War.
The group of soldiers 'conveniently' conceal the bottom of the device, but weighted bags and one soldier are keeping it down and it looks as if it is attached to a motor vehicle, as and when it needs to get moving.
I understand that the prevailing westerly winds might take it over German positions and help see behind hills etc. but how did it work? Was there a time lapsed camera that just happened to snap at whatever it was pointing at the time? It looks powerful enough to lift someone into the air - but surely not? Or rather, count me out.
Has anyone any info on these things? Ny guess is that with the little wing-like extensions it's about 5 metres wide, 3.5 metres long and 1.5 metres deep. If I had the time, the energy and the space it could be a 1:1.
Best wishes
Nigel
