Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1921-06-19
Scores Of Planes And Balloons
Will Be Used In Bombardment Of
Vessels To Determine Usefulness

OLD POINT COMFORT, VA. June
Is. tDy the Associated press) -
The claim of aircraft advocates that
battleships no longer form the ma
tons chief weapon of defense viii
be brought to a test next week off
the Virginia capes. Armed with
bombs of every size, flocks OF army
and navy air ships will SEEK in a
ser es OF tests, 40 destroy more than
half dozen former German warships
and to find and bomb the radio-cun-
! trolled battleship Iowa.
There will be no ATTEMPT 10 stimu.
late real battle conditions. The joint
army and navy operations were ar
ranged by the government 10 get at
the facts as to the accuracy with
which air men can drop bombs upon
naval craft The warships of neces-
tsity can not employ their guns to de
fend themselves, but will be- merely,
except in the case of the Iowa. an
chored tadgets for the aviators.
The maneusers also will determine
the effectiveness OF bombs that strike
and explode upon the decks Of ar.
mored ships. Previous tests with
placed bombs have not satisfied naval
authorities that capital crslft would be
in crave danger of destruction by air
bombs even If struck.
Claim is Opposed
The unique and one-si.led contests
had their origin in the controversy
which followed the declaration before
congressional committee by Briga.
der General Mitchell, of the air ser
vice, that the development of military
"A Ii, h.
ship 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 it advisable to attempt the &C
tual demonstration of he powor of
aircraft, employing it's most mode, n
planes and bombs against Obsolete or
former German naval craft
In preparation for tine tests the
army has concentrated at Langley
Field, near here. the largest mobiliza-
tion of military aircraft in the his
tory of aviation in this COUNTRY. More
than $50 planes OF all types, incindlng
giant Martin bombers CO pabie of car
rying the new 1000 pound aerial
bombs, smaller bombing planes and
fast single-seat pursuit machines with
speed of 100 miles an hour. to be
used for scouting and observation
work. are included in the mobilization
as well as number of dirigibles.
Scores of pilots, gathered from fly
ing fields throughout the country,
have been practising daily for weeks
in bombing and observation flights
out to sea and up Chesapeake bay,
dropping dummy and live bombs
against targets over water and land.
General Mitchell will have personal
charge OF the army's end of the tests
and will lead the various flights of
military aircraft.
At the Hampton Roads station the
naval aircraft are modified. includ-
ing number of seaplanes of the NC-4
type, the class that negotiated the
first transatlantic flight, At Lang
ley Field a number of marine corps
Martin bembers and DH4's are gath.
cred TO operate with the naval planes
during the tests.
First Test Tuesday
The first test. scheduled for Tues
day, will be directed against the U-i17
a modern submarine used by the Ger
man navy during the war The sub
rhersible will be anchored 80 mites
east OF Cape Charles. Va, in an awash
condition with eoncentric red, white
and blue circles painted on its deck
10 DISTINGUISH IL as the target and
avoid the possibility of a mistake.
The first expedition against the
U-1l7 will take off in time so that
the first division will arrive at the
target by nine O'clock The flight will
consist entirely of naval planes. in
GLIDING nine F-5-L, type machines