New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-07
HARMON HURLS BOMBS
Aviator Proves Alrship Would
Be Dangerous in War.
ONLY FIVE MISSED MARK
Nine Shells Fell on Rattleship
Deck, While Seven Hit
Submarines.

Garden City Long Island Aug. 1ope-
ciaD-With the demonstration made by
Clifford 3. Harmon, who threw miniature
bombs on the decks OF representations of
battIeship and two submarine boats and
a balloon ascension and parachute jump
by John J. Frisbie, of Rochester, who lately
has taken up flying a biplane, the large
number of visitors at the aviation grounds
on the Hampstead Plains to-day had an ex-
eellent days sport
The programme will be repeated to-mor-
row afternoon, and number OF additional
biplanes are likely 10 make their appear
ance on the field again.
The war vessels had been laid out under
the direction of John Berry Ryan, who
came down from Manhattan in his auto
mobile with a party of friends Harmon
whose Farman biPlane was working per-
fectly, clearly showed that the aeropiane
has d marked place in warfare. he sue
eeeded In throwing nine bombs on the
deck Of the battleship and three on the deck
of the first submarine just south OF the bat
tleship, while four hit the second subrna-
rine- Only five bombs missed their mark
These fell outside the vessels boundaries
by from four to ten feet.
Harmon made seven rounds OF the course
and managed to hurl one bomb directly down
the smokestack of the first submarine IN
the next round another bomb hit the Tor
ward turret squarely in the centre, ana
those present who have seen genuine shells
explode declared that either Of the shots
would have been fatal 70 a submarine AS
TO the battleship, this would have also been
damaged.
The bombs were thrown by Harmon when
ne was at altitude of about one nun
bred and fifty feet He never aScended
much higher than two hundred feet, ana
when about to drop a bomb would descend
about fifty feet. When an attempt was
made to hurl them from greater attitude
the bombs, because of their light con-
struction, skidded off their range The
trials tomorrow will be made with heavier
bombs.
They will be placed in the two long
cylinders on each side Of the running
gear, and operated when firt1g by I've
springs in the seat beside the aviator An
attempt will also he made TO threw them
from higher altitude.
Harmon made his first round OF the
course yesterday in one minute and forty
one seconds and the remaining enss-SeFen
III aIL-were also made III corresponding
good time. His last lap vas TeTnarka Oily
spectacular. and the shortest turn vas
made that has yet been seen On fae helo'
the circles being considerably less than
eight hundred feet. His descent was re-
ceived with much applause.
George Russell. in Z Curtlss biPiane'
made two circles of the course, rising apoFe
the ground about fifteen feet during the
second round.
Not until after O'Clock was there any
likelihood of flights. Then the wind died
out completely, and Frisbie'S balloon was
filed while the automobiles crowded about
When about two thousand feet in the ar
F'risbie threw an American flag 10 the
ground and jumped into his parachute
on the flag was written: August o i9l".
Presented 10 Clifford B. Harmon by }. j.
Frfsbie From the clouds.
\ number of naval officers are expected
down tomorrow TO see Harmon make other
attempts to throw bombs directly down
the smokestacks OF the various vessels.