South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-06-16
RADIO CONTROLLED
ship TO BE USED
IN BOMBING TEST
BattleShip Will Be Attacked
by Air Forces in Army and
Navy Affair.

WASHINGTON. June 15.-As
June 81, the date set for the first Of
the joint army and navy bombing
tests. approaches. interest among
parisans in the airplane VS.. bat
tleship controversy, which has ragged
among officers here for the last
year. is growing more tense. While
some army fliers express dissatis-
faction with the conditions OF the
tests, a majority Of them believe
that. even with the latitude allowed,
they will be able to demonstrate
their ability "to blow a battleship
out of the water" with aerial bombs.
The first tests will be held against
the former German submarine
U-117. Greatest interest centers.
however. in the experiments to be
conducted against the radio con-
trolled battleship Iowa on June %.
These tests are expected more
nearly than any OF the Others to APP
proximate actual battle conditions
With not even ga mtdshipmite"
aboard. this vessel will manedver AZ.
practically full speed. while aviat0rs
attempt TO drop bombs upon her.
Her boilers. pumps. engines. steering
gear-every Iiece OF machinery on
the old warship will be controlled
automatically by wireless impulses
sent out from the control ship"
Ohio.
Control ship.
The apparatus for controlling the
Iowa consists OF a standard radio
transmitter aboard the mother ship,
a receiving aerial on the Iowa, with
special radio receivers, amplifers
and relays for converting the radio
signals into such form that they
Will operate other electrical devices
communicating with the steering
gear and throttles Of the main en-
gines.
To At the Iowa for use as a NOV
ing target extensive changes n
power plant were necessary. as the
propelling machinery must be
capable of running for a consider
able time without attention. The
boilers were changed to oil burners
instead Of coal. and automatic de-
vices for feeding the fuel and sup
plying water 10 the boilers had to
be provided.
The officer in charge Of sending
out the radio signals from the con-
tral ship has absolute control of the
starting OF the Iowa and can steer
her in any direction desired. When
everything on board the Iowa is
ready the main engines are started
and left running slowly. The ship
Is then abandoned and the officer
aboard the control ship takes COM
mand.
The first radio signal sent out is
intercepted by the aerial or the
Iowa and passes into the radio re-
celver well below deck. Il is then
ampliied by means Of special
vacuum tube amplifers, so that Il is
OF sufficient force to operate very
sensitive relay or switch, which in
turn operates a larger relay. This
larger apparatus closes an electrical
circuit which operates an electrically
controlled rheumatic valve When
this valve opens IL admits COM
pressed air to the throttle control
OF the main engines. causing the
throttle TO open. thus bringing the
ship up 70 full speed
Brain OF the Iowa
The first relay also operates a de-
vice called a commutator. which IS
a special switch having control OF
the steering mechanism. The steer
ing gear consists of a standard steam
engine driven rudder gear. the
throttle valve OF the engine being
geared 10 a small motor. The COM
mutator is connected 10 the control
panel Of this motor and is thus able
to operate the electric motor. which
IN turn causes the steam engine 10
drive the rudder either TO starboard
or port as desired.
A novel feature OF this installation
Is the automatic steering made pos
sible by the use OF a gyro-compass
I The compass e electrically connect
&c 20 the control panel Of the cleo
I trict motor on the steering gear. Sc
that the ship can be maze TO hold