Evening star., 1932-09-04

ana, lncluQlng the smashing OF the
ne speed record, the topping twice
ertal speed record, and the estab-
records for all types of aircraft,
to the Thompson Trophy race at
the greatest aviation thrill of the
ntry has seen, flown by world-fa-
lumber of records during the past
art of the 10O-mile Thompson race
king of all closed course American
inty.
answer the starters flag tomorrow
;e first speed trial last Wednesday
ndplane speed record of 292 miles
the Bendix transcontinental speed
who finished just behind Haizlip
d record for the second time in a
airmail pilot, winner of a number
week; James r. Weddell, second
builder Of the racing planes flown
that race; Lee Gehlbach of Mount
of Springfield, Mass, who will fly
the Thompson last year.
dropped makes quick and accurate work
necessary.
The bomb leaves the ship in a hori-
ROoiJlOIl, WIFI tIlC SdkuG WhIO u
velocity as the plane. 1t Is explained
by Lieut.. Charles H. Howard, 18th
Bombardment Squadron, Air Corps. In
falling, the nose gradually drops and
the bomb becomes more nearly verti-
cal as it falls. Were 1t not for air
resistance. the bomb would, II the air
plane maintained its course, strike di-
rectly beneath it.
Bomb Travels Far.
Instead, however. 1t has been shown
that a bomb released at a speed of 180
miles per hour from an altitude of $4,000
feet requires 80 seconds to reach the
earth and in that time 1t will have
travelled forward some 5000 feet, or
about mile and half.
When it is realized that there is
only one point in the path Of the air
plane from which the bomb may be
released so that it will travel to the
target and that this point may be 5000
feet above and mile and half dis
tant,, vertically. from the target, the
problem confronting both the sight
designer and the bomber may be dimly
appreciated. The fact that the wind
may be blowing In different directions
and at varying velocities at the various
attitudes between the plane and the
ground also is a factor which cannot
be ignored and for which proper allow
ance is most perplexing problem.
The first use of the airplane for
aerial bombardment, according to Lieut..
Howard, occurred in 1911, during the
Italian campaign in Tripoli. The ef-
fects, apparently, were largely moral,
since there is no record of any very
great material damage having been in
flicted. The next use of the aerial
bomb was by Spanish forces In the
Moroccan campaigns.
The first aerial bombardment in the
World War came on August 80, 1914,
when a single German airplane ap-
peared in the evening sky over Paris
and dropped a shower of small bombs,
accompanied by a note, reading: "Peo-
pie of Parisl Surrenderi The Ger
mans are at your gates! Tomorrow you
will be ours!" BY the time of the
Armistics bombardment aviation had
developed into q major arm in which
hundreds Of airplanes took their part
Americans Make First Raid.
Americas first effort at aerial bonn
bardment was made on June IL, 1917
when the 96th Squadron staged a raid
in borrowed French Breguet bombers
StA NOV 0oahbo4ahiSbV 6ko6P Wco Va
ganized after the st. Mihiel offensive
During the early part Of the wal
bombing was done from planes oi
almost every type and 1t was not until
1917 that the true bombardment plane
made It's appearance in the British
Handley Page and German Gotha
types.
Since the war the bombardment
plane has undergone lengthy evolu-
tionary period. The cumbersome, SLOW
ships of the World War, so slow they
could operate only at night. have Given
way to modern bombers which will fly
at from 1870 to 200 miles per hour and
climb to attitudes of more than three
miles.
Discussing the international. plan fol
| outlawing bombardment planes, Lieut.
Howard pointed out that, while ths
nations Of the world in conference
make much Of the abolition of certain
weapons Of war, these same nation.
have under development even greater
air fleets than any contemplated By
our own country
And as for ourselves, committed i.
We are to policy of defensive war
| fare only" he said, I'VE should re.
| member the oft-quoted axiom that 'th;
best defense is a strong offense' anc
that bombardment lends itself mos
powerfully to that role"