Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-01
Signal Corps Will Experiment
With AeropIane.
AWAITS WRIGHT MACHINE
Accuracy of Dropping Fire Subject
for Investigation.
WARSHIP OUTLINE AS TARGET
Germans Prove That Both Free and
Captive Balloons Can Be Wrecked
by Artillery Fire.

One of the first practical demonstrations
that will be attempted with the Wright
aeroplane after it resumes its fights at
Fort Myer this spring will be the drop
ping of projectiles on mark. 1t was
decided by the signal service some time
ago that should the government obtain
possession of the machine many prac-
teal experiments as possible would be
tried with it. One of these will be the &C
curacy of dropping fire.
The outline of a warship will be white
washed on the ground and practice with
falling weight INDUCED in. This is a
form of craftsmanship that has never
been tried either here or abroad. Both
Germany and France have practiced
dropping explosives from balloons. but it
has never been carried very far. With a
free balloon 1t If almost impossible to
maneuver over a desired point. and even
with a dirigibIe it is difficult, while drop
ping even a small weight makes tire dell.
cately balanced gas bag buck Or
course. with such ship as the big Yep
pelin balloon, which recently carried a
load of more than two tons to height
of 5000 feet il would be possible to drop
a fair-sized weight without seriously dis
turbing the airship,
Difficult With Aeroplane.
With the aeroplane on the other hand.
the problem is entirely different. The
machine. with single passenger. has
lifting margin of 450 pounds, and weight
to that limit could be carried under the
machine and dropped by the pressure of
button without disturbing the trim of
the aeroplane. 1t would require prac-
tice to hit anything on the ground, but
Orville Wright said when here last year
~, CD no a
acquired.
In such an experiment, however, would
figure another factor of more importance
to an aeroplane than to d dirigible. The
greatest height ever attained by a heav-
ier- than-air machine was Wilbur Wright's
record of $50 feet at lie Mans last winter.
This is about two-thirds the height of
the Washington Monument. but in spite
Of the fact that aeroplane travels
fast it would have to be several times
that high to be even reasonably safe
from gun fire.
The Germans have done a good deal of
shooting at captive and free balloons and
found such can be wrecked by artillery
fire with considerable ease. How a bat
terry would do practicing on an aeroplane
is a question. but an aeroplane can
not be turned loose to be shot at like a
balloon. this is a matter that is not
likely to be worked out until tried in
actual warfare.
DOUBT as to moving Target.
battery can estimate pretty we'll
about shooting at fixed target simply
by laying and pointing the guns. but it
would he the widest sort of guesswork
to figure out theoretical shots at a swiftly
flying aerop1ane. Still Capt. Horn, at
Fort Myer last year. wanted to try train
ing his guns on the Wright machine by
way of practice, and there would have
been some made of that sort if the ex-
periments had not been brought to an end
by an accident to the machine.
The officers at the fort will have to
learn, first of all. 70 handle the aero
plane in the air before trying any fancy
stunts 1t is a part OF the Wright con-
tract to train three officers in the use of
the mach ne. and in view OF the slow and
careful way that Wilbur Wright has been
training his three pupils in France it
looks as though it might take several
months to fit the new aviators for Their
work, even after the machine is taken
over by the government.