The New York herald., 1921-06-30
AIR FORCES LOCATE
IOWA IN TWO HOURS
Fleet Planes and Army Di-
ligibles Rain Bombs on
Theoretical Foe.
MAKE TWO DIRECT HITS
Tests Off Virginia Capes
Regarded as Tribute to
Aircraft Scouting.
BOMB VALUE IN DOUBT
Official Report of Naval OBJ
servers Awaited by
Sponsors.
MAKE TWO DIRECT HITS
BOMB VALUE IN DOUBT

Special Despatch TO THE NEW Yosx flErALp.
ABOARD L. S. S. HENDERSON, BY DE-
srRoYER TO NORFOLK, June 29.-In a
spectacular sham battle to-day the
aerial forces of the Atlantic Fleet, CO.
operating with four army dirigibles.
located the battleship Iowa in an area
containing approximately $4,000 square
miles and then. with a series OF at
tacl<s, rained bombs on her from an
altitude of 1000 feet.
Approximately two hours were re-
quired for the location of the Iowa,
which for two days has been playing
game of hide and seek in pre-
scribed belt between so and 100 miles
OF shore and extending between Cape
Hat'~ras and Cape Henlopen. dis
tance OF els miles. This portion OF
the test. which is one of a series to de-
termine the relative value of aircraft
and navy vessels. is regarded by navy
officials as u splendid tribute to the
efficiency Of aircraft for scouting
n,aneuvres
Only Two Direct Hits.
On the other hand. only two of the
eighty bombs dropped by the twenty
two airplanes which participated in the
attack registered direct hits on the Iowa.
although many OF them were close
enough to have been in the danger zone.
Had the Iowa been a modern dread
nought, measuring $50 feet in length
and with a 80 foot beam, instead Of an
obsolete craft $50 feet long and with a
7e foot beam, more direct hits would
have been registered.
Rear Admiral Fullam, who watched
the performance from the bridge of the
Henderson, figured that not less than
nineteen of the bombs fell within the
danger zone-that is. within 100 feet Of
the target. These would have registered
direct hits on the deck Of dreadnought
or brought detonations below the water
line such as easily might have put a
dreadnought out of commission. The
board of observers were to conduct an
inspection of the Iowa before making up
the official report.
The tests. which were postponed from
yesterday because of a heavy fog that
hung over the Atlantic coast, began at
o'clock and were being continued at
4. although there had been no firing
since 1:45. when the last Of the sea-
planes disappeared over the horizon In
the direction of the three air stations
whence they had come. stations at Cape
Hatteras. Cape May and Hampton
Roads.
The finding of the Iowa. which was
being operated by the battIeship Ohio
with radio control five miles astern.
was accomplished after a network of
scouting seaplanes. with six dirigible
balloons. four from the army and two
from the navy. had been sent out over
the $4,000 mile area to search for her
The army balloons. c. and D-4. flying
from Langley Field sighted the Iowa
just before 10 o'clock.
Nothing but dummy bombs were
dropped. While the Iowa is obsolete
and eventually is to be DESTROYED. this
Is TO be by gunfire and not by bombs
The deck OF the Iowa was painted in
such a way as to distinguish her from
the other ships in the groups to pre-
vent the dropping OF bombs on them by
mistake
The battleships Pennsylvania and Ne
vada. while the airplanes were making
the attacks. manned their anti-aircraft
guns, with tull crews, taking sights. but
refrainins. OF course. from firing. II
gave a further tone to the sham battle
conducted under the most modern con-
ditlons.
Test Fails to Settle Coutrox.r~
Army and navy officers aboard the
transport Henderson and the battleships
OF the fleet were divided greatly over
the results of the dropping OF dummy
bombs. The fact that only two direct
hits were registered, coupled with the
further fact that the tests had TO be
postponed from yesterday because OF the
heavy fog. gave the advocates of BATTLE
ship supremacy a strong talking point
which they expected to capitalize before
Congress and the country In the deter
mination of the future preparedness poll
icy. On the other hand the sponsors
OF aircraft declared the possibilities of
heavier than air machines In warfare
had been demonstrated and that no other
conclusion could be reached unless live
instead of dummy ammunition had been
\ dropped
/ All the time the firing was in progre IS
the battleship Iowa was steaming ahead.
covering from the beginning OF the op-
erations until the end a distance OF ap-
proximately fifteen knots. She was run
ming toward shore In the direction of
Assateague Light. although the Ohio, In
control of her by radio. changed her
course and zigzagged her considerably
as defence against the aircraft.
A total Of four types of airplanes par
ticipated in the bombing. They were
the F-5f flying boats. the NC types OF
flying boats. the DH-4 operated by the
Marine Corps and the Martins from the
Yorktown station.
The remarkable achievement In the
tests was the location OF the Iowa by
the dirigibles In less than two hours
although the battlcship might have beer,
IN any position within the great area OF