Evening star., 1922-09-24

Carrying regulation underwater tor
pedoes. a squadron Of navy torpedo
planes. fying in formation. will attack
en- masse battleships of the Atlantic
fleet next Tuesday. in spectacular
practice exhibition off Cape Henry
which will constitute, according TO
naval authorities. the first maneuvers of
the kind in the fast progressing history
OF military aeronautics. 1t is said to
be a new brand Of warfare.
From their base at the naval air sta
tion at Norfolk. twenty planes Of the
Navy PIT. type. loaded with torpedoes.
will take off at o'clock in the morning
to find the enemy in an unknown posi-
ton.
Secrecy also will shreud the move
ments of the attacking airplaRes and
battleships from each other. and coRdi-
tions of battle will be thoroughly simu-
lated
The battleships Arkansas and Wyom-
ing will probably form the neucleus of
the feet to be attacked. officials an
nounce. and il possible the airplanes
will actually strike the vessels with tor
pedoes. from which explosive has been
removed to prevent damage.
Would Boost Effectiveness.
Principles OF the new plan OF attack
upon surface ships have been under
war. the idea being to work out more
effective means Of delivering the tor
pedo to the enemy than could be fdr-
nished by submarines or other torpedo
carrying ships.
To develop scheme of warfare
whereby torpedoes could be maneuvered
through the air at high speed, in large
numbers. in concerted attack would pe,
according to naval authorities. OF much
greater effect than to depend upon the
render more powerfully flexible the al
ready dangerous weapon.
Experiments have been conducted
since the close Of the war in Chesa-
peake Bay of Yorktown by the new
organizati tion set up by the Navy for the
II. l.. Bartlett. The organization is
known as Torpedo and Bombing Squad
ron Number /, and Is attached to the
Atlantic fleet. basing at the naval air
station at Norfolk. Lieut.. Commander
work exclusively. and has been develop
ing the new form Of naval attack.
strategy and tactics. with all the ex-
perience and material available.
Maneuver Planes Chessa.
The planes to be used Tuesday are
not those which have been chosen by
the Navy as the best type for torpedo
work, but are being utilised In the
practice and experimental work to date.
The PIT. plane is regulation large
Navy service plane. which has been in
use for some time. but the one which
has been chosen by the Navy and for
| which contracts have been made for
mass production is the Davis-Douglas.
1t was picked after a series Of competi-
tive tests as being superior in fnaneuver
ability. speed and endurance for tor
pedo work. Other planes tested in
cluded the German Fokker, English
Blackburn Swift, and the Stout torpedo
plane.
The exhibition Tuesday will be wit
messed by q group Of high oflicials and
newspaper men. Assistant Secretary OF
the Navy Roosevelt and Rear Admiral
William A. Moffett, chief of the bureau
Of aeronautics, are expected to be pres
ent. The fleet will be maneuvered un-
der command of Admiral John McDon =
aid. acting commander in -chief of the
Atlantic fleet, while the attacking tor
pedo squadron Of planes will be under
command of Lieut.. Commander Bart
lett. The squadron will consist OF
| three divisions in charge of Lieut.