Evening star., 1921-07-19
Air B0mbers Score in Direct Hits
Before Cruiser Goes to Bottom
rs Projectiles Dropped in Attack-Many Fail to Ex-
plode-Army Martin Gives Ship Death Blow
by Bomb in Water Near Storboard Bouv.

| shatter on the deck below. while an
other went through the upper deck ON
the starboard side near the bridge
and the fourth through the same deck
on the port side just forward OF the
first smoke funnel.
| The second phase of the attack. car
ried out by Navy and Army Martin
| bomberS with 500 and 600 pound
bombs: furnished the real thrill of the
| day. The Navy Martins opened 1T at
2:2S pm. and scored an immediate
hit. the explosion tearing a hole in
the port side of the deck near the
first smoke funnel, but the protective
deck was undamaged. Another bomb
near the stern Of the ship and passed
through the hull. coming out on the
waterline, failing to explode. sun
Another passed through searchlight
Platform on the mainmast. wrecking
the searchlight and landing at the
base of the mast. twisting and tear
ing the deck plating and tearing
away part o fthe steel plating around
the base of the after smokestack.
Engine Found Undamaged.
When the official observers boarded
the ship after this attack they found
the upper decking and superstructure
from the bridge to the afterhouse torn
and twisted. but none of the bombs
had gone through the protective deck
and the engines and boilers were un-
damaged. All o fthe guns on the deck.
including the anti-aircraft weapons.
were in working order. though all
were pitted by being struck by flying
fragments of steel torn away by the
explosion.
While the observers were aboard
for THIS inspection a fleet of six
Army Martin bombers arrived from
Langley Field and circled about over
head. They were followed by three
naval planes of the transatlantic
N c type, but the work Of the Army
bombers was so effective that these
craft subsequently were ordered not
to attack. The observers were aboar-
the target for half an hour. and
Capt. Lawton of the Army fleet sent
a message saying that unless he
could attack within fifteen minutes
he would be forced to return to his
base. as his fuel was. running low.
The target was cleared and four of
the six Army Martins went into ac-
tion. The first six bombs dropped
by these craft were short Of or over
the target. but the sixth and seventh
launched by the same plane struck
the target amidships. the 1900 pounds
of bombs exploding with a vivid
flash of fire. Just what damage these
two bombs did will never be known.
as the observers did not get on board
! the battered hulk again. Apparently.
however. they did not do any vital
damage. though they further twisted
and tore the upper works.
Deathblow Near Bow.
Three more bombs were dropped
| by the Army craft without effect, but
| the twelfth bomb sent down struck
| near the bow. giving the ship her
dssthSlow Gc1rs tbs on the ofeia
of the opinion that the force of the
explosion ripped open the ships
| hull for considerable distance. At
| any rate she began to settle by the
i bow immediately afterward.
Two additional bombs were launched
| by the Martin bombers, which then
! turned and started the long run
| home without waiting to see the ship
sink. The three NC naval planes
| followed the Martins over the target
| but before they arrived they were or.
| dered to withhold their fire and they.
/ too. started back to Hampton roads.
| After the Frankfurt went down the
| full observing fleet got under way
| tomorrow night, when they will put
to sea again for the final phase of
the joint tests, the bombing of the
former German dreadnaught Ost-
friesland.
Many Bombs Fail to Explode.
Weather conditions yesterday were
as good as any during the tests, and
the bomberS found before them the
| largest target which they had at
! tackled with real bombs since the
I joint operations began nearly a
| month ago. The Frankfurt was 412
| feet long and As feet broad. She
was completed during the world war
| and took part in the battle of Jut-
| land. This was the second time she
| had sunk, she being among the craft
| sent down by their German crews at
| Scapaflow after the German fleet sur
rendered.
| For the most part the airmen had
| good range, most Of the bombs fall
| ing to reach the target dropping
near by apd sending great geysers
across the decks Of the crlsS&r.
| Many of the bombs. however, failed
| to explode; this was particularly
| true of the Navy bombs. but there
| was no official explanation.
Besides the big fleet of warships at
| the battle-ground" three Army
| blimps circled overhead throughout
| the day, being among the first ar
! rivals. Gen. Mitchell also was on the
scene early, making two round trips
| from Langley Field. being forced in
| at midday to replenish his fuel sup
| ply.
| ,; Nv,