The New York herald., 1921-04-17

than mechanical trouble, but the ships were
there and waiting and il the tide OF the
fighting had turned less quickly the appear
ance of these aerial monsters over Berlin
would unquestionaby have been tremen-
dous blow to the German morale:
Describes the Giant Planes
Built for Bombing Berlin
These planes were called the " Hand
Iey-Page One Of the highest officials then
in aircraft construction is authority for the
statement that 40 of these superplanes
had been built and equipped. They were
fitted with four Rolls-Royce motors OF $40
horse power each. They had cruising
radius of 1900 miles and each plane was
10 carry two 800 pound bombs filed with
INT and swung under the fuselage. They
could easily have gone from their airdrome
in Norfolk to Berlin and back without STOP
ping. In size and general construction TINS
type Of Handley-Page did no$ greatly diner
from the Handley-Page commercial planes
now in cross-channel service. They were
somewhat stronger in body and more IN
tensely braced. The original W planes,
intended for the bombing of Berlin, stripped
Of their war gear were the identical ma
chimes used for trail blazing OF commercial
routes 10 Egypt. Mesopotamia and india
on these trips they usually carried six men,
three officers and three mechanics. To-day
some of these planes are In use In Mesopo-
tamia Egypt and on the Indian frontier
Berond the mere fact that plans we're being
made 20 bomb Berlin the "details nave peen
kept from the British public.
The same authority says that some ldea
- af i
homhs can be gathered from the estimate
that one bomb, falling outside the Hotei
Cecil here, would completely wreck every
wall of the immense building. The Britisn
also planned to use these bombs, carried oy
tie 20" machine, for front line work IN
France.
Reveals Interesting SideIghtS
On Britain's Development of Tanks
In the development Of tanks Britain had
gone even further. At the armistice she
had concentrated behind the lines in France
1000 absolutely new tanks. It was no
secret that the British had formidable
array of tanks but the character of these
tanks had been kept secret. Investigation
now reveals many interesting sideli2hts on
British tanks. The original inventor OF the
tank was T.. r. lie Mole, a South Australian
draftsmnn. He submitted his designs
two years before the war, but they were
pigeonholed and forgotten because In 1912
England had no war on her hands and lie
NTole's ideas we're considered crude and OF
little value in warfare. But as matter
- fact Le Mole planned y tank much faster
than any actually used in the war. but not
faster than those tho British would have
used IN another two weeks OF war.
The credit OF designing and producing the
tank actually used is attributed to sir Will
lam Triton and Major wilson who carried
ont their work In the latter part Of 1913
and early In 1916. II is now revealed that
the first tanks used In the second battle OF
fhe Sommc were in reality very nefiicacious
weapons. hut the success they attained was
due solely TO the element of surprise and
the blow ut the morale Of the Germans fac
ing them 4 man who in the war was one
Of tho highest officers in the Tank Corps
now says that had the Germans only Known
how thc first tanks were constructed they
would have picked them apart with sardine
Tin openers But the tanks almost ready
FOR use when the guns stopped were devcl-
oped TO an extent that still is not generally
known.
With the exception Of the Whippet. the
British tanks in action were of the three
man control class but the new tanks we're
all one man control. These new tanks can
be- divided into three classes The first was
large fast tank armed with three machine
guns. The second was even larger, heavily
nrmorcd and carried two three-inch guns
and five machine guns This tank was de-
signed TO hold positions after the smaller
tanks had broken the lines, acting as sort