The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-28

| on the hlSEL.. .--- 49,. $500
~~~-~-~~~-~-~-~-~~~~--~~
feet without trouble and had accom-
pliShed what an army could not have
done. The only limitations was that
the planes were too few in number to
win a decisive victory. In every raid
in the Balkans only four or five air
planes participated.
Among the most remarkable long
distance bombing raids were the
raids on Essen and Munich by Cap
tain de Beauchamp and Lieutenant
| DanCourt on Sept. "a and Nov. IS,
1916. which have been repeated since
| by other aviators. The raid on Lud-
wigshafen, accomplished on May 81,
1915. in which 18 planes took part,
also involved a flight Of about 400
miles. 1t was conducted successfully
and only one machine was forced to
land and was captured. Another
classic was the bombing raid on the
MauseT works at Obendorf on Oct.
II, 1915, in which participated a
French bombing squadron, and a
British bombing squadron, and were
escorted by the Lafayette flying
corps fighters. These are only a few
of scores Of such raids! In all these
raids the aviators had to fly from
five to seven hours continuously
under most trying conditions, having
to protect themselves with INSULT
cient arms. A night raid in large,
we'll armed warplanes would be easy
in comparIson-and much safer.
Extensive Damage Can Be Done.
The damage that can be done by
bombs is extensive, particularly in
thiCkly settled places. In fast raids,
whole factories and magazines have
been blown up, railroads wiped out,
bridges wrecked, hangers and dirig-
ibles destroyed, ships destroyed in
their docks, and military camps and
billets annihilated.
The damage has been considerable
even when only a few airplanes were
employed. The employment of hun
dreds of airplanes would wreck en-
tire military and naval bases. A
fleet Of hundreds Of torpedo planes
CO operating with bomb dropping
planes could attack the German fleet
at it's base from every side as well
as from above and infiict tremendous
damage, il not destroy it completely.
1t depends entirely upon the number
of airplanes employed; and whereas
fleet of hundreds of torpedo planes
and bombing airplanes would cost
could be built and operated much
more quickly-and could strike at the
German fleet. whereas a naval
squadron could mott is evident
that aeronautics affords the quickest
and most effective way to strike the
German fleet, the U-boat bases and
the German military centers. 1t is
the opinion of leading strategists
that such extensive aerial operations
combined with naval operations
could reduce the most impregnable
naval bases and sink the ships gath
cred there.
Niaht Facilitates Bombing.
Night facilitates bombing at very
close range. The aviator can fly close
to his target and hit in the most vul-
nerable points.
The first part of aerial attack can
be carried out by surprise, and half
OF the work can be done before the
searchlights and anti-aircraft guns
can be put in operation. In raid
of hundreds of airplanes the search
lights and anti-airCraft guns could
not cope with the situation. Any plan
to prepare all the naval and military
bases so as to have sufficient anti"
aircraft defenses to cope with the
situation would involve the employ
ing of tens of thousands of gunners
and their personnel, withdrawing
them from the fronts, thereby weak
ening the German lines.
If the night should happen to be
extremely dark the airplanes could
light up the area to be bombarded
bV dropping parachute flares.
Bombs and Bomb Holding Gears
The following kinds Of bombs are
in use. l6. Sc. 100, and 112-pound
bombs. In some cases there are
bombs weighing 500 pounds or more.
The 16-pound bombs are usually
arranged in series OF four under the
fuseIage. The releasing gear is
worked from a bowden wire which
actuates a bar releasing the bombs
in the following order: /, 4, z, 3,
which avoids unequal distribution OF
weight. The 56-pound bombs are
usually carried in a series of two
and released in the same fashion.
The 100-pound and ll2-pound bombs
are always carried in single bomb
frames. These have two levers, one
to fuse the bomb and the other for
releasement. These bomb frames
are usually slung on either side of
the fuselage below the lower plane
and afte of the axle. In all Of the
above cases the bomb is held hori-
zontaIly in a fore and aft position
the nose of the bomb pointing for
ward.
In all the latest types Of machines,
however, the bombs are carried in a
vertical position inside the body OF
the airplane, nose downward. This
is a very great saving Of head resist
ance. For obvious reasons it would
be inadvisable to give details OF
these bomb dropping devices, which
permit the aviator to drop one or all
of the bombs simultaneously.
Dropping bombs weighing 500
pounds or more is not difficult; here
tofore it has been more difficult to
get large airplanes capable Of carry
ing them. Now that large war
planes are coming into use in quanti-
ties, the dropping of bombs weighing
500 pounds or more will be common.