Evening star., 1921-06-21
AIR BOMBERS SINK U.BOAT
in FIRST ATTACK in TEST:
10 SAVED AS PLANE BURNS
|A|RMEN SWIM FROM
FLAMES ON WATER
Fight Fire in Vain as ExpIo-
Si0nS Shatter Wrecked
Machine.

just after the German subm rine
t-1is HaS sunk today of Hampton
Roads by bombs. Lieut.. Col. Gull
Ner. flying nm Army plane, crashed
down near the United States Stcam-
ship Henderson. He and his assist
ants were rescued by Navy boats.
By the Associated Press
NEWPORT NEWS. Va. June 21-
Naval seaplane No. 7. bomb laden and
carrying three officers and ten men,
was wrecked and burned in Hampton
roads about o'clock this morning.
One man. the radio operator. was in
)ured, burning gas on the water rem
dering him UNCONSCIOUS when he was
unable 10 swim beyond the danger
zone. The other nine escaped un-
scathed.
The airmen owe their escape to the
TACT that they released the cargo of
bombs when they found a forced la nd =
ing necessary. Reports vary as TO
whether or not these bombs exploded,
but witnesses on the shore say at
least two did
Fire was discovered leaping from
the main gasoline feed pipe as the
machine was winging its way through
Craney Island, the machine was i'm
medlately brought down to the
water and losing battle with flames
started.
Battle With Fire in vain.
The three officers and seven men
armed themselves with fire extin-
guishers and attempted to battle the
fast-growing blaze. The flames soon
spread to all parts of the machine
ana the men were forced to take to
the water. One OF them, the radio
operator. either lost his life preserver
or was unable to get to it on account
of the blaze.
The gasoline spread to the water
and caught fire. Ire airmen SWAN
beyond the fast-spreading danger
radius.
The radio man was overcome by the
flames and fumes. and his compan-
ions further imperiled their own lives
by taking him to tow and trying to
keep beyond the fiame-covered area of
water.
The Army tug Brittania. which,
all this time, had been rushing
toward the scene at full speed. hav.
ing sighted the machine when i,
made the forced landing, came to an6
took the men aboard. A. ]. Apple.
gate. civilian employe of the Army
and a passenger on the tug. leaped
scious radio operator aboard the tug
Explosions Heard on Shore.
The Brittania made for the Army
base and the injured man was placed
in a hospital. The other airmen later
returned to the naval base where re-
port of the accident was made.
Watchers from the shore do not
know whether the explosions they
heard were the detonations of the
bombs or that of exploding gasoline
tanks.
The commandant of the naval base
says the firing pins on the bombs were
not released and they should not have
exploded. He further states that the
NC-7 had no part in the bombing ex-
or the Virginia capes today, but was
out on a practice run.
Inquiry to Be Made.
Bombs are carried by most ma
chimes at the naval base since plans
for the experiments with war craft
have been under way.
Names of the officers and men
aboard the NC-7 were not made pub.
lie by authorities at the naval base
An investigation now is being con-
Quoted in an attempt to ascertain the
cause of the gasoline feed pipe leak
This pipe. it is said. apparently was in
frst-class condition when the machine
left the station this morning. The
plane, however, is one Of the largest
used by the Navy. similar to those
used in the transatlantic flight, and i,
is possible that unforeseen strain in
maneuvers may have damaged joint