Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-07-29
EDITOR

Of the aeroplane for dropping bombs from the
tclGnds upon an eneny's camp
Italy learned conclusively during the war in
Trpoli the futility of casual housekeeping
from aeroplanes. Expert students of aviation,
eagerly following the work of the Italian bird
men, found that the grenades thrown at the
leneny from on high either buried themselves
haTmlessly in the sand or exploded without do
ing any real damage. The difficulty, as the Ital-
ians soon found was to explode the bombs at the
right time, which involved an amount of calcu-
lation impossible to perform during the limited
moments that an aerOplane could stay over the
spot where the bomb was to be dropped No in
ventor has vet been able to build an aeroplane
that will hover in one spOt-unless it is facing a
wind of approximately its own speed-and thus
the birdman has no time to make the nice caleu-
lations as to distance to the earth and the flight
of the falling missile The Italians therefore,
came to the conclusion last year that the only
type of flying-machine from which it is practi-
cable to throw bombs is dirigble. =.
The italian aerial navy, often referred to as
the most advanced in the world, has been devel-
oped as result of the experiences in Tripoli
The Italians have gathered together an aeroplane
equipment that includes speedy machines that
can fly many miles and return, CARRYING one or
two birdmen machines CT less weight and more
stability for tactical work, and weight-carriers
fer mountaineering and similar purposes. The
long range machines are used for reconnaissance
The machines of the second class are valuable for
aerial photography, which has come to be dis
tinct branch of military science.
recent critic, writing of the Italian aero
plane equipment, gives the following facts: The
present scheme of the italian government, which
it is hoped will be carried out by next spring
provides for twenty-six field squadrons, each
composed CT seven biplanes, making a total of
90 machines. Squadrons are to have sufficient
transport to enable them to keep the field for a
month without reinforcement. There are also to
be, in addition to the 30 machines above men
tened, eighty school machines, distributed
among the four training schools at s. Maurizio
Malpensa, Aviano and Pordenone
Each squadron has four officer-pilots, four
offcerobseryers, and % men. The fact that
there are only four pilots to seven machines is
noteworthy. There are at present about 100 fly
ing Officers, of whom about 20 have taken their
military certificates.
Italy, like France has been comparatively
slow in taking up the hydroaeroplane but the
navy is believed to possess about 20. There is a
scheme for the establishment of some Is hydro
aeroplane stations at various points around the
coast.
Returning to the feat at Guaymas, it is prob
able that the aviator who accomplished it is Did
Ter Mason, well-known in Hawaii. He has been
employed by the rebel forces for some months
and recently announced that he had perfected a
method by which he could explode bombs
dropped from the air. If his method works out
satisfactorily, the European nations will be
quick to modify their present views as to the
value of the aeroplane for this particular pur-
pose.