Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-18
ACCURATE BOMB SIGHTS
makes BOMBING EXACT
NO Longer Necessary to Wreck Cot
tages Three Miles Away In
Raid on Munition Plant.
STORY ON BALLOON sTRAFING"
Lieutenant G. w. Eldcrlsin De-
scribcs Daring Attack Which Sent
Foe TO Ground i'm Flamcs-Acrial
photography Will a Il in Work.
BY LIEUTENANT w. uOusEy.

LONDON October lG.--A.-::! bomb
ing has become AN exau: science In
the early days of the war Dropping
bombs was largely II matte o. !uck
me only factoy relied upon for su, IS.
10 1S1,Gay, however. matters are entire
~ inherent Accurate bomb sights
used. are guarantee OF the bomb fall
ing Oh the object aimed at, within :,
very small! margin OF error. OF course
as IN all the cases OF all such instru-
!nehts, the human element is some
lines responsible for erros Of calcu-
Saght at 1900 feet will send bomb
lar out of It's course. In tho words
81 MAMA an air IN; Nv who has done some
bomb"
From this 1t must not he thought
not reach their oiliets in Germany or
IN the German lines; for aerial photo
mat they do. But emphasis is laid
on The Importance. .. the personal fac,
10, Ic,I IN 3omhing In IN. excitement Of
ct heavy shell Are very cool head is
required to manipulate an instrumch,
Az delicate as 4 bomb sight
MUCH wASTONNEss DUE
TO SHEER BAD BOMBING.
II Is thought that quite Il lot of the
Wanton and useless destruction OF phi
y I9,S property In England by German
!aldcrs Is due TO sheer bad bombing.
for even II the motive OF certain
nffop9hrtii"n OF INC raids is merely;
in other cases where work.ncns cot
tiScs few miles away from ,nunition
works have been blown up. that it
"as the factory which was aimed at
and missed. Undoubtedly the central
powers are behind the allies in regard
10 bombing gear for on large Ger
recently captured was found IL crude
copy OF an English bomD sight which
was introduced more than two years
Aerial bombs range in size from
ten pounds up TO iiity or sixty times
K!nda; inccndiary and hiIn explosive.
They are generally laid ON their sides
IN racks underneath tn. a!rpianc;
but sometimes they are carried in cells
especially in the fuscIaGc cor DodyJ
OF the machine. la either case they
placed convenicn; To the pilot or CD
server. the bombs themselves being
Tar out OF reach.
When bono is released 1t does
not fai! directly downwards but takes
Il forward path as IL drops. in the
, niaSS1n ~ rb MhS s u lhi a ,s
tum Impaired TO it by III. speed of
the aircraft.
bombing is the time length OF the
iuse. Dor example. ii Il railway june
Won were being attacked. bomb
more damage than one with a delay
tuse: Tor NE FORMER would have a
wide. low radius Of ing
uD the railway lineS--whi!e til. latter
would during the delay bury itself in
the ground and merely make deep
crater OF small area.
The reverse. however. would apply
in the case uf a munit!on factory y
bomb exploding on contact would 20
or soon as II touched the roof.
doing little or no damage TO the re-
maindcr of the building. but AN APP
pEopriatciy timed uc4ay iGSc would
Ia. n .r. q Z h n
10 The miud!c or ground ioors where
il would DC infinitely more desiguc
tive.
IL can be seen, therefore, tina. the
success failure q: q bombIng raid
San d=peEd on Il yer? sinai. fraction
81 time.