may evidently be fairly elastic, and there will be no difficulty in bringing the tail of the formation promptly into action. When, however, as we may suppose will some day be the case, the numbers become great the whole question cannot fail to become one of the first magnitude. The actual importance will again be greatly increased when air fleet meets air fleet, for in view of this eventuality, numbers will be augmented to an extent that we have as yet no means of gauging, perhaps beyond anything that we can at present imagine.
It would not serve any useful purpose in the present state of knowledge and development to attempt to discuss too closely the types of formation that may or may not be found suitable. We have the same, or an analogous, tactical problem in each of the older arms of the military organisation, and in the Navy, and in every case, in spite of the store of practical experience available, there is still a deal of controversy, different ideas being represented by different "schools" of thought; even in the case of the oldest Arm of the Service — the infantry, there is no unanimity of opinion. This being so, it would clearly be futile to attempt to lay down any scheme for an arm which cannot yet be said to exist. However, in spite of all this, there are certain outstanding facts that cannot fail to have some bearing, and will assuredly act as controlling influences.
§ 96. Formation Flying. Airmanship and Signalling. When the numbers become great a point will inevitably be reached when the accuracy and closeness of the formation will be a matter of first importance to the tactical scheme, since the only way in which the whole force can be brought to bear at once will be by a studied plan, in which each machine will have its allotted place. In other words, the number of machines from the point of view of the n-square law will no longer be the number
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