New Britain herald., 1926-09-29
ARMY TANKS ARE
 WRECKED IN TEST
Stokesnortar Explosive Blows
 Hole in ArnOred Gar

Washington, Sept. 29.-Armored tanks tested at Camp Meade. Md. Friday and Saturday made a poor showing against explosive shells. The tests were staged to develop possible weakness in tanks with a view to improved construction in the future.
 The tests were conducted by the Tank Board in cooperation with the army engineers and the Bureau of Ordnance. In othef words, they may be said to have been in the hands of friends. However, the Tank Board was as much interested as the en- gineers or the ordnance experts in determining any weaknesses in this modern mobile fortress.
 Huge Hole in Roof
 The havoc wrought by some of the explosives was surprise to army officers who have had ex- perience with tanks. The first test consisted of placing a French 75- millemetre shell under one track of the tank and a Stokes mortar shell under the other. The conditions were as if the tank had run over both shells. Little damage resulted and tank stock rose measurably.
 On the second test a Stokes nor tar shell was placed on top of the tank and detonated. The metal is steel, one quarter inch thick. Little damage was expected from this ex- plosion. However the observers found a hole in the roof five feet long and two feet wide. The interior was spattered with fragments, some thrown with sufficient force to i'm bed them in the walls.
 The machinery was not damaged and 1t would have been possible to proceed with the tank under it's own power had any of the theoretical personnel escaped slaughter. The observers were certain no man could have survived inside this tank.
 In another test a six-inch shell, containing about six times the quan- tity of explosive in a 75 or a Stokes mortar shell, was exploded under one track of tank. About six feet of track were torn off by the blast, a number of bolts sheered off and the tank floor pushed up slightly. The observers figured this tank would have been disabled in battle, since extensive repairs would be vir- tually impossible under fire.
 Doesn't Fall in Pit
 The explosion of a six-inch shell under the bottom of tank blew a big hole in the floor and destroyed the motor. Anybody inside almost certainly would have been killed by fragments or by poisonous fumes.
 In another test thirty pounds of triton, high explosive somewhat less powerful than INT and safer to handle, was exploded under one of the tracks, demoishing il. A tank passing over such mine in battle would have been damaged beyond repair.
 An explosion of fifteen pounds of triton under one track tore off two track rollers, sprung the floor badly ! without going through, blew off the | track guides and the turret door. This explosion would have disabled , the tank, but personnel might have serious injury.
 Thirty pounds Of INT were ex- ploded two feet to one side of the tank in another test, to determine whether the tank would fall into the crater created by the explosion. h. stead of falling in the tank only rocked little and could have pro- 2eeded under its own power without delay. Further apartments will be made to determine the effect of ex- 7losions of various strengths close 0 tanks, but not in direct contact.