Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-13

A NTI-AIRCRAFT artillery, the
~ 6erided Archie" of the
~ World War pursuit pilot,
4 n constitutes a far greater
menace to the military pilot to-
day than when the war ended II
years ago. Not only has the range
of anti aircraft guns been ex-
tended tremendously, but accu-
racy, power and area Of explosion
have been bettered.
postwar period was demonstrated
by his admiring parents, the
Coast Artillery and the Army
Ordnance Department, before
thousands of members of the
Army Ordnance Association at
Aberdeen Proving Ground this
week. Archie proved himself a
noisy and destructive youngster,
who took a malicious delight in
poking holes in sleeve targets
lowed Sedately across the sky by
Army observation planes.
While it would be rank treason
for any pursuit pilot to admit
feeling of respect for Archie, who
is supposed to be beneath the
notice of the fighting flyer, there
is no doubt that the last 10 years
have brought Archie a measure
of culture and refinement. He
now is a recognized member OF
the ordnance family, sharing
honors with his harsh-voiced
brothers in the Field Artillery
and-shudder boys, the coast de-
tense guns.
"Archie" Shows OFF.
The big ordnance people pat
Archie affectionately on the bar
rel, bring him out before company
on all possible occasions, feed him
nice, shiny new shells and per-
Suade some disguised aviator to
tow a target across the protest.
ing skies so that Archie may show
of his newly acquired graceS.
Then the target is brought down
and holes are pointed out to the
awe-Struck aSsemblage as proof of
Archie'S proweSS. It's a poorly
conducted ordnance show, indeed,
that doesn't bring tow target
some holes.
Not only is Archie growing in
stature, but his voice has changed.
The Archie of war days used a.
mean, barking tone which made
even the hardest heroes curse.
In this respect Archie has not
improved. He is, If possible, worse.
His voice is Spiteful, Shrewish and
painful. When q battery of
Archie 75-mrn. loud speakers sets
up its hullaballoo the vicinity
positively cringeS. He CRATES on
the nerves and the rapid, sharp
conclusions beat tattoo on the
skull and set the abdominal
muscles to quivering. Even so,
according to the ordnance ex-
pertS, Archie'S bite is worse than
his bark.
Rises to New Heights.
The present-day Archie battery
lays down mean barrage at any
altitude up to 10000 feet. Up to
this height no military plane of
today can consider itself proof
from Archie's playful attentions.
In the World War the pursuit
pilot, upon sighting the puffs of
smoke which heralded the activi-
ties Of the anti-aircraft, merely
climbed out of range, perhaps
thumbed his nose oversize and
went on about his business. To-
day he may go through the same
motions, but he doesn't get out
Of range. Unless he carries a
rabbit foot or some such souvenir
he may expect at any time, at any
attitudes to feel the conclusion of
Archie and to hear the crackle of
shrapnel through his wings.
The pursuit pilot, however,
probably has some justification
for his contemptuous feelings
toward the anti-aircraft battery.
It is the bombardment plane the
Archie considers his exclusive
prey. Archie was a trial and
tribulation to the bombardment
pilot during the World War and
probably would rank today as a
downright abomination. There
will be many bombardment pilot
walking home from rides after
meeting Archie if worst comes to
worst and there is another war.
according to our best ordnance
people.
"Archie's" Education Begins.
During the World War Archie
was no petted and pampered
child. He was turned out to play
with hairy-eared cannoneers, who
spun him around and made him
lay down barrageS in accordance
with the artilleryman's Hoyle.
The niceties of pinking airplaneS
out of a clear SkV had not haen
given much attention prior to the
people were just beginning to pay
really serious attention to the
business of nouriShing Archie and
making something really worth
while out Of him.
Today Archie is the plaything
Of no tobacco-chewing, tattooed
rough-neck. Archie has a tutor
a genteel mechanical "robot" who
takes him by the hand, points out
the airplaneS to him and tells him
when to begin shooting.
This robot is something of a
miracle-man; the product of ex-
pertS dealing with the various
forms of electricity, acoustics and
mechanics. The robot works by
sound; his electrical ears pick UP
the hum of the airplane motor
and propeller Mr.. Robot turns
his head automatically toward the
airplane, performing by mechan-
ical means nice calculations Of al
titude, windage, drift and the in
tricacies of ballistics. Having done
all these things, the robot points
t.. -