The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-09
Scouting Nniue Demonstrated.

The United States has only twenty
three aeroplanes all scouting machines.
The value OF the aeropiane FOR scouting
was demonstrated by the navy hiers after
the occupation Of Vera Cruz. But II each
side had been equally well equipped with
flying machines the story might have
been different one machine gun mounted
on an aeroplane could have driven the
little scouting machines out of the air. in
the opinion OF the experts.
Even in scouting where the air IL clear
OF rival machines the aeroplane has Its
limitations. To keep out OF rife range
the work must be done at a height of not
less than 1000 feet. At that height avl-
ntors have flown over regiment OF
soldiers camped in green cloth tents with
out noticing them. AZ the nier ascends
elevations on the earth's surface dis
appear and persons become mere specks
The aeroplane can be seen further than
the aviator can see with sufficient &C
curacy for scouting
But the fas, scouting machine has still
another possibllty-the destruction OF
dirlglbles This may or not mean the
wrecking OF the aeroplane or the death
o; the pilot. Nedrines, with the hatred
OF the dlrigble common TO all aviNors,
said recently that ne would drive his ma
chine through one OF the big German
dirigbles and save himself by jumping
from the aeroplane with a life pack just
before II tore into the side or the dig
balloon.
Joseph A. Steinmetz OF Philadelphia,
vice president of the Aero Club OF Penn
svlvania, has invented an aircraft de-
stroyer by means OF which fast scouting
machine can blow up the slow moving
armored aeroplane or dirigible. The de-
vice consists OF a wire that bangles several
hundred feet below the aeroplane with
a bomb and several hooks fastened TO the
lower end, The aviator simply steers his
machine over the other machine, catches
the wire on the enemy's craft and ex-
plodes the bomb by contact
This device has never been tested in
actual warfare but It presents way in
which the smallest aeroplane might de
stroy the largest driglble and still have
| an even chance OF reaching the ground
| In safety. The wire liz automatically freed
from the aeroplane as soon as the bomb
explodes and the aeroplane is left free
| in addition 20 the large number of
| scouting machines, tho only Kind familiar
| to Americans, each az ;hs European
/ Powers is well equipped with armored
aeroplanes upon which rapid FIRE gums ar"
mounted. Other machines are buiIt espe-
/ clally for bomb dropping.
! II IL highly probable the; tNe damage
possible from bomb dropping mas been
greatly everest mated The heaviest
weight ever dropped from an aeroplane
was i75 pounds. and the bomb has a
tendency to bury itself deep In the ground
and fire straight upward instead or
spreading. After dropping one or two
bombs the aeroplanc must return to its
base Of supplies for more.
Bomb dropping Is an effective way Of
destroying bridges and Is capable OF Gre
ating disorder In almost any BODY Of
troops. because In the bomb dropping aero
plane they see something against which
the, cannot defend themselves and they
inn n, that one bomb will annilhilate a
regiment.
Bomb dropping Was considered by the
second peace conference held at The Hague
I'm 1907 4 resolution was introduced ~
have the nations agree to prohibit the die
charge OF projectlles and explosives from
balloons and flying machines The United