New-York tribune., 1922-09-29
BY Rear Admiral w. r. Fullam
u. s.. NJ. (Rstired)

u. IS. ". (Rstirsd)
WASHINGTON. Sept. 2s.The result
Of the torpedo-plane attack on battle
ships yesterday was startling. Vice
Admiral Mcdonald admits that there
were seven hits on the target ship Ar
kansas = out of seventeen torpedoes
fired. Observers assert that there may
have been nine direct hits, and it is
said that three additional torpedoes
struck otner shirs IN tho oattleship
force. In time Ct sar there also would
have been effective IN other words, a
maximum of twelve hits may have been
scored.
Il ia folly to deny the governing i'm
portan nee Of this refharkable test. Ths
ships Unanswered at high speed
seventeen knots--and attempted to
dodge the torpedoes by zigzsgging and
by turning away from or toward the
torpedoes in order to present the small
est possible target. OF course it will
be claimed that in actual war the
planes, or some of them, would have
been shot down in attempting to fire
at such a short range.
~. evsn granting this. we may
counr@r by stating that one hit instead
Of nine would suffice to disable and
throw a battleship out Of the fghting
line IL 1t did not sink her; that the
planes would uaquesticnably attack at
night. not in broad daylight; that,
using long range torpedoes, they could
attack at & safe distance; that they
could attack under cover of smoke
screens and without warning.
Three Weapons at Once
But this is not all The attacking
sir force could use three weapons at
the same time-bombs, torpedoes and
floating mines. The bureau Of naval
aeronautics is very much alive. 1t has
now used bombs and torpedoes with
deadly effect, and one may be sure
that it is also prepared TO attack with
mines. Imagine q feet beset at one
time with three fast flying squadrons,
one dropping 2,ooo-pound bombs, one
firing torpedoes and the third flying
swiftly around the feet and sowing
the sea with rnines--a dan~erous bar
rage. Even layman must see that
foreign fleet cannot come within 100
miles Of our coast if it must face an
attack, unless it can grasp and main
tain command of the air above itself
and can first destroy our whole ma
tional air force-army, navy and re-
serve
1t is important to note, and give
credit TO the navy flyers for the fol-
lowing remarkable achievements in this
the frst test they have had an oppor-
sunity to make against battleships un-
der way:
/. The planes used were old patched
up machines of small carrying power.
2. Only one aviator was carried by
each plane, to handle it, maneuver and
fire the torpedo.
g. Under these trying conditions
every one of the seventeen torpedoes
functioned successfully.
4. The planes few 100 miles from
their base and all returned without a
casualty.
s. A minimum Of 55 per cent and a
maximum Of 10 per cent Of hits were
recorded.
Remarkable Record
What, then, may we not expect from
out aviators when they have new up
todate planes that can fly high and at
great speed in approaching to attack,
and with two or three men instead of
one to direct the FIRE? 1t is not too
much to say that these young men
have made one Of the most remarkable
records in the history of navies, and
that they and their companions of the
army can be trusted effectively to de-
velop air power as the frxt line of
the nations defense.
The vital Importance of these bomb
ing and torpedo-plane tests is illus
trated by the present situation at the