Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-19

have the same objective at sea
destruction of enemy ships.
Torpedo Plane.
The torpedo plane is essentially
merely mobile torpedo tube. The
conventional torpedo vessel, which uses
| launching tubes affixed to her decks
can deliver torpedo attack only by
placing herself and her entire ships
company in danger OF destruction by
defending gunfire. II. however. the
torpedo vessel can use torpedo planes
in place of the conventional fixed
launching tubes, she may lie we'll out
, beyond opposing gun range. while sha
/ sends her planes in TO attack: thus. IN
effect. exposing only the torpedo tubes
/ aud their crews to danger-While the
ship and the ships company remains
, safely beyond gun range. An attack
delivered In this manner greatly re-
duces the number Of men and the value
of material placed in jeopardy and at
! the same time greatly increases the
/ difficulty OF the problem which con-
! fronts the defending forces.
The torpedo plane performs no new
function; 1t merely serves To increa ),
the effective striking range Of torpedo
vessels. and hence greatly to increase
pared with the gun. II may here be re-
marked that the destructive effect Of
the under water blow of the torpedo Is
superior TO that OF the above water
blow OF the gun. The gun has retained
its position as the prlncipa! weapon Of
ships largely because OF its superiority
in accurate effective hitting range.
largely because OF It's ability to destroy
torpedo vessels before they could aG-
vance TO within effective striking range
'Smoke-laying aircraf, are employed
for exactly the same reasons that
! smoke laying destroyers and cruisers
are employed, the only important dis
tinction being that when aircraft are
used 10 lay smoke. instead of sending
In valuable cruisers or destroyers the
job Is done quicker. the target offered
to the enemy is smaller. faster and more
difficult TO hit. and only small NUM-
Der OF men is placed in danger. instead
OF whole ships company The use of
airplanes III Smoke-screen maxim.
opens tremendous possibilities in all
manner OF feet tactics. both in attack
and defense
Mission Of Aircraft.
Fighting aircraft have cNactly the
same mission TO perform as have anti
aircraft guns mounted on the decks OF
surface ships. Both fighting airplancs
and anti-alrcraft guns are designed 10
destroy enemy aircraft. The important
distinction Is that the fighting aircraft
projectiles can reach enemy aircraft at
ranges and III many conditions where
the conventional auti-aircraft gun is
utterly impotent II appears 10 be well
Established that fighting airplanes are
a far more effective defense agairs, air
attack than are ant!-a!rcraft guns
Summed up. the admiral said the air
plane in naval operations is at once a
vehicle, high observation post, gun.
a torpedo tube, depth-charge pro-
iector. mine layer and Il smoke-Screen
! layer
Aircraft; carried on battlcships and
cruisers. the admiral explained. are
necessarily restricted in their utility
and effectiveness because of the re-
stricted facilities for operating them II
| is quite possible. the admiral holds, 10
carry and 10 launch on their Initial
! flight very large number OF aircraft
from the vessels which are already en-
pioyed In long established surface func-
| tons through the installation of cata-
pults on battlcships cruisers. destroy
err leaders. oil tankerS and all manner
OF auxiliary vessels,
But aircraft so operated. In average
conditions at sea, can be used on only
one flight. because IL Is seldom that the
sea Is smooth enough to permit the
landing OF aircraft on the surface of the
sea without frequent and serious dam
age 10 the aircraft, and even when tho
sea Is sufficiently smooth for such oper-
atoms. one dare not. In the presence Of
the enemv stop combatant ships or In
tcrrupt their fire long enough to per-
NIT hosting planes out OF the water"
In pointing TO the carrier the float
ing field as q means Of 'reloading air
planes. just as means must b" provided
for reloading guns" Admiral Moffett
declared TO provide airplanes with
out ADEQUATE fight decks for rrload.ng