The New York herald., 1921-03-13
AIR BOMBERS ASK
FOR REAL BATTLE
Urge Warships Fire Solid
Shot at Them in Pro-
posed Test.
SPEED TO SAVE THEM
Army Pilots Say Navy Craft
in Motion Cannot Hit
Winging Plane.
SPEED TO SAVE THEM

WASHINGTON, March 12.-Arny avi'
ators have become so enthusiastic ovel
the proposed experiment of bombing
naval vessels under approximately
war time coditions that scores Of them
have suggested that the fleet be al
lowed to fire back at the planes with
anti-aircraft guns.
While Admirals and Generals have
been advancing and disputing claim:
that the airplane Is TAR superior L
the battleship as a war weapon, arm,
pilots have flooded the office OF the al
service director with pleas that tn,
ness war conditions.
They have been all wrought UP ovei
the subjec. since that not distant day
when Josephus Daniels. then Secretary
OF the Navy. offered to stand bareheadee
on a deck OF battleship and let Brig
Cen. Mitchell, head of the air servic,
in the war, take a crack at him with Q
bombing airplane.
Lieut. c. c. Moseiey. victorious pilot
Field for the Pulitzer trophy. would b
"ticleled pink" at the opportunity Of q
real fight with the navy gunners.
II firmly believe he wrote to his
chief, that bunch OF those gobs would
have about as much chance OF hittinf
one OF US Especially II the old battle
ship were in motion) as the proveroia
sHo owbail."
with a fast plane / would feel Der
fectly secure to fly around all dag ovei
.he Atlantic feet and let them shoot al
me with anything they have--anythins
from popgun TO a Is inch piece,
read a letter from Capt Harvey Wen
Cook OF Fort Crook. Nebraska.
other army niers. scattered over fields
In many parts of the country. chirned ir
with similar willingness. each one ask
ing to be allowed to take part In the
experiment, should It ever come about
One officer, stationed at CarlstroH
Field. Arcadia, Fla. while highly de-
sirous OF getting In on the fun" doubted
whether the men higher up In the army
and navy would let the dream come true
He gave u thought to public opinion, and
his doubt increased.
I'm afraid the general public Toalo
raise a dickens OF a row." his letter SAID
Another flying Lieutenant willing 10
take fling at the experiment feared the
sailors might not enjoy It so much. he
suggested that the naval men firing the
anti-aircraft guns be allowed to mount
them on craft other than the oattleships
Meanwhile In several OF the air SER
vice flying fields bombing practice
against silhouette warships placed upon
the ground IL being carried on. Oni-
ciai tests with a view to determining
the relative value OF aircraft in warfare
are being conducted at the Aberdeen
proving ground In Maryland.
Army hiers say they could sink the
biggest battieship with ono direct hit
with 1.100 pound bomb dropped from
an altitude OF 5000 feet They contend
that the explosive would have such
force II would buckle in the plates OF
the warship. making II Impossible to
keep afloat.
As to their own safety In air peppereo
by anti-afrcrnft ammunition, The army
pilots who saw service over the lines
In France assert that results OF attacks
upon aircraft from the land were few
and they point out that nll planes
brought down were crippled BY guns or
nxed land mountings. while Ia the pro.
tected encounter with the feet the bat
tlcsnips would have 10 keep moving.