Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-11-23
Anti Aircraft
Guns Effective
Against Bombers

Washington, Nov. 22-(AP)-A
years experience with anti-aircraft
firing has demonstrated that this
form of fire Is more effective upon
bombing planes than that of other
classes of artillery against their
normal targets" Major Gen. F. w.
Coe, Chief of Coast Artillery, as
serted in his annual report made
public today.
General Coe referred to the special
anti -aircraft training ordered by the
War Department and conducted at
Fit. Tilden, N. Y, with the assistance
of air personnel from Mitchell Field
with a view to determining the de-
gree of efficiency which may be ex-
peced from anti-aircraft guns and
machine gun fire against air targets"
The ability of searchlights operating
on data obtained by listening de-
vices to illuminate a target con-
tinuously while in range of the guns
formed a part of the problem. Cen
eral Goes judgment as to the eff
fectiveness to be expected from anti
aircraft batteries was based not only
on this special test but upon firings
during the year by other coast
artillery units.
The report pointed out that up to
this year no method had been found
to furnish training to the personnel
of the seventeen anti-aircraft artil-
lery regiments of the organized re-
serve allocated to the central part of
the country. The distance to the
seacoast anti-aircraft batteries pre-
vented sending officers as no funds
for transportation were available.
Only three anti-aircraft regiments
are maintained in the regular estab-
lishment, all located on the coasts
but during the last summer special
training teams from these regiments
were sent into the interior and ar
rangements' also were made for re-
serve training with national guard
regiments at FIT. Sill, Okla, and
Camp Sparta, Wis.
"This arrangement Is not salts
factory, General Coe said, land
proper training can be given to these
units and the three national guard
regiments similarity situated lin the
interior) only by organizing and sta
tioning regular anti-aircraft regi-
ment at some point in that region"
The report said that all anti-air-
craft regiments should be supplied
with the new so caliber machine gun
in place Of the present 80 caliber
equipment "as soon as funds can be
made available" and that similar
steps should be taken to replace tho
model 1918 3-inch anti-aircraft guns
with the new model 1923-E. weapon
on mobile trailer mounts which "en1-
bodies many improvements" and will
be approved for manufacture when
minor defects, developed in tests at
Ft. Monroe, Va, have been cor
rected. The urgent need for sound
locating devices to detect airplanes
at night was being met through
ordnance department experimental
designs, General Coe added and this
development would be pushed as
fast as funds permitted.
IT wish especially to urge the
necessity for increased activity in
development of our aircraft SER
vice" General Coe insisted. "Other
coast artillery developments are
either refinements or extensions of
well-trfed out ideas. The anti-air-
craft service is. however. at a point
where original Investigations and ex-
tended trials Of new designs and
methods are imperative"