Evening star., 1921-07-17

aircraft.
Much comment was also made by
aircraft experts over the speed with
airplanes dived down upon their
enemy and then whirred of. after dis
| charging their bombs. The S.E.-5
will travel up to $50 miles per hour.
but some new types of pursuit planes.
war: and are just now coming into
production. namely. the Thomas
Morse scout and the. ordnance engi-
neering Jobs. are said to attain an
average speed of 10 miles per tc"r.
suit planes. attacking with light
bombs. will make them a most dim
cult target for ship gunners to hit.
Their average speed would thus
figure out about $500 feet per second.
or nearly a half mile Travelled for
his "archy." In diving on target.
preparatory to bombing. the speed
would be even greater than this.
Better Bomb-SlEhtinE Needed.
An inspection trip to Langley Field.
which was afforded to the visitors
last Thursday. also led many Of the
technical men. who were treated to
flights In the De Haviland-4 Liberty
engined. bombers (produced during
the war and still the most actively
used) to discover what they termed
the ''makeshift" character Of the bomb
sights now used -,
Many airplane manufacturers ex-
pressed the belief that when appro-
priations are made for the real de-
velopment of better bomb sighting
and releasing apparatus. and their
perfect installation, that target-hit-
ting ability would increase by leaps
and bounds.
Ordnance experts: also expressed
similar beliefs and discussed the long.
tedious processes by which modern
gunsishting and aiming had been de-
vefoped. and prophecied that bomb
sighting and releasing also would
develop only as appropriations were
made for technical experimentation
and development.
The next problem will be the de-
struction of the ex-German light
cruiser Frankfort. which will occur
Monday at 8 am. in the same gen.
eral locality. with the Navy. Marine
ternate turns at the target with ESQ
to 600 pound bombs.
Next Wednesday will see the
crowning test, with the ex-German
battleship Ostfriesland as the target.
This sinking of real battleship (the
class battleship Florida) will attract
an impressive list of technical and
official observers. The various flying
corps VIII alternate il this attack
also. starting in with 250-pound
bombs and working up to 1.000-pound
bombs in the first days work.
VIII Make Fine Target.
Extensive observation will be made
aboard the Ostfriesland after every
important hit. by the official board.
and If II remains af1oat for the second
day, 1000 pound bombs and 1000
pound bombs will be released upon it
TO determine the exact results OF such
great quantities Of T. n. T. on heavily
armored ships.
This vessel, approximately 500 feet
long and of $4,000 tons displacement.
will make wonderful target and the
test is expected to produce royal
sport as well as invaluable informa-
ton.
In case the aerial bombs are not
able to pierce her 75-pound decks
and explode in such a way as to open
her seams and wreck her side plates
for heavy leakage, the Atlantic feet
flagship, Pennsylvania, will cut loose
on her with salvos from heavy 14-inch
turret guns, and pound the Osttries-
land until she sinks Into oblivion.
This will be the hrst opportunity
ordnance experts in this country Will
have to witness the bombardment OF
a first-class. modern battleship In the
high seas. and the data to be secured
will undoubtedly do much to shape
all future preparedness policies in
both the air service and the Navy.