The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1921-07-22
SIX ONE TON BOMBS
Sink BATTLESHIP IN
THIRTEEN Minutes
Seven Planes Take Part in
Test Attack After Flight
of Eighty Miles.
SIDES RIPPED APART
Previous Assaults With
Lighter Projectiles Had
opened Seams.
TRIUMPH FOR ARMY MEN
Experts, However, Insist That
Giant Ships Still Will Be
Useful in War.
TRIUMPH FOR ARMY MEN

~-~---~'-s
ROUTE TO NORFOLK. July 21.-Six bombs,
each weighing a ton, hurled from the
sky, sent the one time German dread
nought Ostfriesland to the bottom of
the Atlantic Ocean to-day as a dra-
matte answer to the question Of
whether fighting aircraft can sink
capital ships. All of the bombs ex-
ploded below the water line close to
the hull. ripping great holes in the
heavy armor and crushing it. Then
the giant vessel, which during the war
was one of the first line of the Kaisers
feet, went down by the stern. rolled
over and disappeared.
Army fliers led by Brig. -Gen. Will
lam Mitchell did the bombing. AS the
dreadnought went under the waves
they dropped another one-ton bomb
into the great whirlpool as farewell
salute and headed for their base at
Langley Field, eighty miles away.
Some Of the firest fighting ships of
the Atlantic fleet, with distinguished
visitors aboard, stood off at safe dis
lance to see the death Of the recent
enemy. Secretary DENLY, Admiral
Coontz, director Of naval operations.
members Of Congress and others, whose
work it Is to formulate the preparedness
policy of the United States looked or.
The attack with one ton bombs fol-
lowed an assault earlier in the day with
bombs weighing 1000 pounds. OF the
five fred three hit squarely on the deck.
doing grea. damage. but this lombard
ment In the opinion OF the board of OBJ
servers who went aboard the Ostfries-
land would lot nave put the ship out
of action.
Began with Small Bsmbs.
The bombing OF the Os.friesland had
consumed two days. during which a
total of sixty -four bombs were dropped.
The tests we're Intended among other
things to give evidence of the size of
bombs required for such sinking and
the initial assaults were made with mis-
siles weighing 230 pounds. From these
the bombs were increased to those
weighing $50 and 600 pounds. and from
that to 1000 pounds and 1000 pounds.
Under the Jules of the tests but two
direct hits were allowed to be scored on
the Ostfriesland. This was interpreted
20 mean hits on the deck. 1t had been
demonstrated however. primarily In the
sinking Of the cruiser Frankfurt OF Mon
day. that shots landing In the water
close to the vesse. were The most erect
I've. so that a deliberate attempt was
made to avoid hitting the deck.
The bombing with 1000 pound bombs
was conducted by six army Martin air
planes and one Handley Page airplane.
They were flying at an altitude OF only
700 feet and II required an hour for
them to get to the scene OF the opera
tons from their base with their loads
of destruction.
II Foot ProjectiIes Dropped.
The bombers reached the dreadnought
shortIv after noon and II was IL III
when the first OF the Martins flew over
the target and let go twenty-five
nound bomb as a range shot. Two
minutes later the first bomb OF 1000
pounds left the airplane.
From distance OF 5000 yards
the bomb. measuring IL feet and s
inches in length and 1874 inches In
diameter. could be seen plunging to-
ward the water. It glazed In the sun
shine as IL we o'N 80
its course, landing on the crest OF q
wave 100 feet of the starboard bow OF
the warship.
There was a muff1ed roar and great
smash of water, which let out black
and white smoke. In two minutes. or
~ ~ 81. the second bomb struck. this
time 400 feet ahead Of the bow. II
was followed closely by marker bomb
sent out by the airplane following:
light bomb that hit the mainmast but
bounced off into the water. In two more
minutes a one-ton bomb was landing close
70 the starboard bow with defamation
that threw water over the forecastle.
THE shots that probably caused the
most serious damage. although the ac-
emulation OF shots may have done the
worl. were those which fell at IL rs
and IL 81 minute apart, the FIRST on
tho mort side near the mainmast. and
tbe second Just off the port quarter.
Roth OF these threw water all over the
deck. ,.
In another minute. the dreadnought.
which seemed unaffected so far as sta
h,lization was concerned. was seen to
be sinking aft. " was continuation OF
a condition which was observed this
morning before the operations began.
During the night the vessel had gone
down by the stern about a foot and
half. presumably from the loosening OF
saams. due to the earlier bombing.
At 1879 a bomb fell abreast or the