The New York herald., 1921-06-19

bomb the radio controlled battleship
Iowa.
There will be no attempt to simulate
real battle conditions The joint army
and navy operations were arranged by
the Government 10 get at the facts as
TO the accuracy with which air men
can drop bombs tAoon naval craft. The
warships of necessity cannot employ
their guns to defend themselves, but
will be merely. except in the case of
the Iowa, anchored targets for the
aviators.
Test of Placed Bombs.
The manoeuvres also will determine
the effectiveness of bombs that strike
apd explode upon the decks OF armored
ships. Previous tests with placed bombs
have not satisfied naval authorities that
ea2ital craft would be in grave danger
OF destruction by air bombs, even If
: struck.
The unique and one-sded contests
had their origin In the controversy
which followed the declaration before a
Congressional committee by Brig Gen.
Mitchell, of the air service, that the de-
yelopment of military aircraft was fast
making the battleship obsolete. Navy
officials led by former Secretary Daniels
took prompt exception to this claim and
the verbal conflict OF opinion ragged so
vigorously that the Government found ii
advisable TO attempt the actual demon
stration OF the power of aircraft, en-
ploying its most modern planes and
bombs against obsolete or former Ger
man naval craft
In preparation for the tests the army
has concentrated at Langley Field, near
here, the largest mobilization of mill
tary aircraft in the history of aviation
in this country. More than $50 planes
Of all types, including giant Martin
bcmbers capable of carrying the new
1000 pound aerial bombs, smaller bomb
ing planes and fast single seat pursuit
machines with a speed Of 120 miles an
hour, TO be used for scouting and obser-
walton work. are included in the mobih-
zation. as well as a number of dirigibles.
Scores OF pilots. gathered from flying
fields throughout the country. have been
practising daily for weeks in bombing
up Chesapeake Bay. dropping dummy
and live bombs against targets over
water and land Gen. Mitchell will have
personal charge OF the army's end OF
the tests and will lead the various
flights of military aircraft
Naval Aircraft Mobilixed.
At the Hampton Roads station the
naval aircraft are modified, including
number OF seaplanes of the NC-4
type the class that negotiated the first
transatlantic flight. At Langley Field
"a number OF Marine Corps planes. Mar
tin bombers and DH-4's are gathered to
operate with the naval planes during
! the tests
The first test, scheduled for Tuesday.
will be directed against the U-117. a
modern submarine used by the German
navy uring the war. The submersible
wiz be anchored fifty miles east of Cape
Charles. Va, In an awash condition,
with concentric red, white and blue cir
cles pointed on it's deck to distinguish
IL as the target and avoid the possibility
of a mistake.
The first expedition against the U-117
will take off in time so that the fret
division win arrive at the target by 3
O'Clock. The flight will consist entirely
of naval planes. including nine F-5-L
type machines each of which will drop
four bombs; a torpedo plane division OF
: Ave Martin bombers, each of which will
drop six bombs four NC type seaplanes,
each OF which will drop four bombs. and
a Marine Corps division of six OH
< planes to let go two bombs each All
(. OF the bombs will be OF the 163 pound
type
After the attack by the naval air de-
tachment, IL the submarine has not been
sunk the army flyers will take Off from
Langley Field. The army flight will
I consist OF twelve big Martin bombers.
4 each TO launch six bombs, and eleven
DH-4's which will drop two bombs each,
all Of the 1913 pound type. The aircraft
win deliver the attack as the flight com
manders choose, without any restrictions
as TO altitude or speed.
Ii Is expected that by the time the
forty-seven aircraft engaged in the test
havo dropped their 1Ss bombs the U-117
Will have disappeared beneath the sur
face OF the water, but should the vessel
atill be anoat II Will be made the target
Of tho guns of a division of destroyers
on the following day, along with the
former German submaSinea, U-1t0.
y T-f11 aud UB-4s.
search for "Encmy, BattIcship.
Y The second phase Of the tests viii
(. take place on June IS. officers of both
aervlces consider this the most impor-
N tnnt OF all the experiments, as u will in
volve the double problem Of the ability
K OF aircraft 20 find any enemy fleet some
N where in a wide area off the coast and
20 bomb the enemy ships after locating
them. on that date the radio controlled
battioship Iowa will be somewhere be-
tween tho Virginia Capes and Cape
Henlopon, from fifty 10 one hundred
rifles off shore The Iowa will be ma
umuvred by radio from the battleship
Ohio. five or six miles distant. The III
crs will have only an approximate idea
OF the location OF the Iowa and will be
required 20 take off at o given signal.
search the wide area involved, and II
they ind the vessel bomb II with
dummy bombs and get back 20 laud
safely The control officer on the Ohio
Will be allowed TO maneuvre the Iowa
as he pleases during tho bombing. simu-
lating far as possible the moves a
battlcshlp might be expected 20 make IN
war 10 escape aerial attack. The condl-
lions involved arc that the Iowa shall