Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-18
AIRCRAFT DEFENSE
TESTED OUT HERE
ManeuverS Reveal Attacking
Planes Have Advantage
in Combat.

Boiling Field during the past week
has had all the appearance of front
line" airdrome at the height of a great
battle, patrols of bombardment and at
tack planes going out and coming In
at all hours of the day and into the
night as the various phases were flown
OF a week OF problems designed to test
to the utmost the latest system of de-
lenses agains aircraft raids.
The military study of the results OF
the week of simulated battle opera
tionS has not been completed, and there
has been no official announcement of
conclusions reached. 1t appears, how
ever, that even the most elaborate de-
Tense system which can be devised fails
to remove the menace from hostile air
guarded point.
Some of the attacks may be beaten
off, either completely or to an extent
which will prevent great damage to
the protected area, the tests have
shown, but large proportion of the
aerial attacks seem almost certain to
succeed against even the most unceas-
ing vigilance and vigorous opposition.
Defenses Elaborate and Complete.
The anti-aircraft defenseS employed
Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md, during
the past week have been most elaborate
and complete. They have included pur-
suit aircraft. anti-aircraft batteries and
an extensive interconnected network OF
observation posts scattered over hun
dredS OF square miles, connected by
field telephone and radio with each
other and with the defense headquar-
tiers at Aberdeen.
Theoretically it would seem nearly
impossible for even a single airplane to
pass over the network of observation
posts without detection, to run q CANT
let of sensitive electric ears" trained
to pick I'D and locate the sounds OF
aircraft. and then to elude both guard
ing aircraft and aerial barrages. Actu-
ally, however, 1t has been possible for
flights Of planes to get through unde-
tected.
The maneuvers have introduced ia
this part of the country a new element
in aerial warfare-the attack plane
Nine planes of this type. composing a
half squadron, are participating in the
maneuverS, being based at Boiling
Field. They were sent here from Fort
Crockett, Galveston, Tex, by the Sd
Attack Group.
The attack plane is q postwar de-
straffing exclusively, and can bring to
bear against enemy troops, machine
gun nests, gun batteries, communica-
tions centerS, supply trains. ammuni-
ton dumps or other nerve centers near
the battle front fire power of terrific
intensity.
The nine planes here have the fire
power of an entire infantry brigade, in
Guiding field artillery, during the few
seconds of their direct attack on q
ground target. The nine planes can
bring to bear on q concentrated target
the fire Of 81 machine guns and q total
of 225 augmentation bombs of 10
pounds each, or 80 bombs Of rs pounds
each.
Anti-Aircraft Fire Futile.
The attack is delivered from the low
est possible attitudes, the planes taking
advantage of every hill and grove OF
trees to provide cover behind which
they may approach the target without
warning. Operating SO low, the attack
plane is immune from anti-aircraft fire
and, because OF its swift and unexpected
attack, from all but scattering rifle and
machine-gun fire from the ground. The
only effective weapon yet devised against
the attack plane is the pursuit plane,
it has been revealed by maneuvers such
as those held in Ohio last year, where
ground forces were engaged against air
craft.
Wartime practices have prevailed
throughout in the maneuvers just con-
cluded. The anti-aircraft batteries
have been distributed around Aberdeen
in carefully camouflaged positions. The
attacking and defending forces have op-
Grated rs they would In case of actual
hostilities up to the point Of firing oil
weapons. Every detail has been the
result Of the most thorough planning
Q special board having been at work on
the arrangements for more than -four
months prior to the exercises.