Evening star., 1921-07-20
B|G.STR|DES SEEN
! NB0MB4DR0PP|NG

OWING to the rapid development OF
Instruments for accuracy, bomb drop
ping from airplanes will increase 100
Per cent In efliciency In the course OF
thu next year. according to Capt.
George A. Gray. formerly Of the
United States Air Service, now in
Washington. t-....,.-... --
Capt. Gray Is one of the oldest
pilots in this country. having been
continuously engaged In airplane &C.
tivities as pilot, engineer and lnspec-
tors since 1910, when he first became
identified with aviation under the
tutelage Of the Wright brothers.
During the war he was ssent on
tour of Inspection by the government
to all of the great French and Eng
lish plants, particularly the English,
where he studied the various methoos
of bomb-dropping, location of troops.
those countries. He is the possessor
of medal presented to him by the
Aero Club of America for being the
first man in the United States to DEM
onstrate these important factors IN
the science of air fighting, being
member at the time of the National
Guard of the states of New York
and Vermont.
Secret of Bomb Dropping.
THE success of bomb dropping"
said Capt. Gray to a representative
of The Star, depends not only on the
planes specially built for the purpose,
but on the development of bornb-drop-
ping devices. bomb sights and an in
strument now being developed which
shows the exact angle of the machine
when in flight.
Since the recent tests OFF the Vir-
ginia capes experts have been en-
gagged in the development Of these
instruments, and they are now con-
WINGED that 1t is possible to perfect
them to such an extent that a pilot
per cent more accuracy than at the
present time"
Capt. Gray stressed the fact that
the SE-5 planes used for the most
not bomb-dropping planes at all. but
an emergency machine hurriedly de-
veloped by the English for war pur-
poses and now entirely obsolete.
Planes Lack Bomb Sights.
These planes are equipped with the
regular lens. instead of bomb
sight" said Capt Gray, land while
should not be considered as up-to-
das, bomb-droppers."
:Ae aviator said further that he
co-4aidered the altitude maintained at
They were in too close a vicinity to
anti-aircraft gunfire." said the Off
Ger which made it obvious to ex.
perfe that a higher altitude was
bomb i.npping INSTRUMENTS will per-
init of ~ altitude Of at least 5000
feet and tr'en allow for more accurate
bonb-dropoing than is being done
at present"
Capt. Cry was loud in his praise of
the foresight of Gen. William Mitchell.
assistant chief of the air service,
whom, he said, was awake to the
value OF accurate bomb-dropping as
far bacR as 1915. Gen. Mitchell has
done ypoman service for the develop
ment OF the air branch of the service,
and to him. as much as any one man,
Is duo the credit for the rapid strides
taken by the United States in this line
In the past four or five years." he
Sees Marvellous Changes.
II look. for marvellous development
in all bomb-dropping devices in the
next year." said Capt Gray in con-
clusion. .'and I am a strong advocate
in the government concentrating all
it's efforts to that branch Of the serv-
activities. AS it is today, bomb drop
ping from an airplane is more ac-
curate than gunner on a battleship,
and then think Of the difference in
cost.
You remember Secretary Daniels
said that he would be willing to
stand on the bridge Of a ship when
bomb was to be dropped from an air.
plane. He surely wouldn't be here to
tell the tale had he been on the
bridge at the recent tests. as the
bridge was the first part Of one ship
to be swept away"
That Camp Meade will be the future
headquarters of all government avia-
tion is also predicted by Capt Gray
TT Is the logical place." he said. "All
business to do with the service is here
at Washington, and there is nothing
at Dayton in particular to draw men
interested in aviation to that city
This: is the place for it, and 1 think
the time is not far distant when it
will be transferred here"