Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-09-11
BOMBING FROM AIR
is NOW A SCIENCE
Element of Luck Has Departed
Work Now Done With Math-
ematical Precision.

Behind British Lines in France, Aug.
20 Aerial bombing IL today far more
of an exact science than was supposed pos
sible wear and n half ago. In the early
days of the war dropping bombs was
largely matter of luck, and the straight
eve Of the aviator was the only factor
relied upon for success
Today, however, matters are entirely
different Accurate bon b lights have been
produced. which. carefully used. are a
guarantee of the Domb falling ON the OBJ
jcct aimed at within a very small margin
Of error OF course, IN the case OF all such
instruments. the human element is some
times responsible for errors ot calculation,
and small error on a homb-sight at
5000 feet, will send bomb far out of It's
course In the words OF nm American arr
man. who has done some splendid ralding
work IN France
1T is wonderful what you can miss
with bomp
From this II must not bc thought that
the majority Of Allied bombs do not reach
their hilcts in Germany or In the German
lines. for aerial photographs taken after
raids have shown that they do. But ctn-
phasis - lald on the Importance ot the
personal factor in bombing In the cXcitc-
mcnt of work Of This KIND often IN tho
midst Of heavy she'll fire very cool
head is required 10 manipulate an instrl-
mcnt rs dcliCatc as bomb-sight British
airncn for example, receive very thor
ough training in bombing before they are
allowed to proceed overseas, and must "i-
tam certain number of hits before they
can graduate
1t Is thought that quite lot Of tho
wanton and useless DISTINCTION oi private
property ia England toy German raiders Is
due 50 sheer bad bombing | undoubtedly
the Central Powers ere pchind the Allies
In regard to bombing gear for on large
German twin-cnU,ncd bombing alfplaue
recently captured WAS found a crude copy
uf IN ugllsh homi,-~ight Whtch was IN
troiuccd more than two wears ago
tcrial huWi range ~ size from ~
mounds up 10 50 or go tunes that weight
ANA arc roughly of two Kinds mccndiarv
ard hIrh-cNplc-iVc II hoy arc generally
lald on thcir sides IA racks underneath the
:Irpl5uc. iuf sometimes thcN arc carried
IL cc.le specially fitted IN m" fnsclagc tor
bod, of tho mu,bnc In either case hes
arc fused and released ~ levers placed
convenient to thc plot or observer, the
boml.~ Themselves hciup far "ut 81 reach
N hen p homn Is released Il does not
fall directly DOWN ards hut takes Tor
ward path ae il drops IN the direction ~
which the machine IS travelling Tins Is
duo to the momentum impaired TO Il TN
thc speed of tlio aircrait
: factcr o( great Importance IN bomb
inc is he tmo length IT thc itist Tor oN-
auplC II railway junction vas hcmR
attacked i ioml winch eNpIodcd on con-
tact would 10 tnr more damage than ore
wi'n delay fuse FIR the former would
\ ,,i,In lnv radius ut action emaehng
up THE railway Iincs Whie tho latter
would. during tie DELAY tur' i,cl' ~ The
ground and mcrciv make dc,p crater q
small area
Thc rcycr~z however woi.d appl, IN
the case a a munitiou factory \ h'tnh
cNpl,dlrc ou ccntact would So ~ aS -oon
aS il touched tic raol, dong little or no
damage ~ the remainder @ the building.
n1 AN appr opratclv tuned dclaN iuSe
would givcthc, nnumc tacr1~h Trough
to tho middle or ground floors here Il
would bc Intimately moro destructive