Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of WarTalbot, Frederick Arthur Ambrose
History
Aeroplanes and Dirigibles of War
Talbot, Frederick Arthur Ambrose
Aeronautics, Military; Airplanes, Military -- History; Airships -- History; World War, 1914-1918 -- Aerial operations
Some months ago the world was startled by the announcement that the
leading German armament firm had acquired the whole of the interest in
an aerial torpedo which had been evolved by the Swedish artillerist,
Gustave Unge, and it was predicted that in the next war widespread havoc
would be wrought therewith. Remarkable claims were advanced for this
projectile, the foremost being that it would travel for a considerable
distance through the air and alight upon the objective with infallible
accuracy. The torpedo in question was subjected to exacting tests in
Great Britain, which failed to substantiate all the claims which were
advanced, and it is significant to observe that little has been heard
of it during the present conflict. It is urged in certain technical
quarters, however, that the aerial torpedo will prove to be the most
successful projectile that can be used against aircraft. I shall deal
with this question in a later chapter.
During the early days of the war anti-aircraft artillery appeared to
be a much overrated arm. The successes placed to its credit were
insignificant. This was due to the artillerymen being unfamiliar with
the new arm, and the conditions which prevail when firing into space.
Since actual practice became possible great advances in marksmanship
have been recorded, and the accuracy of such fire to-day is striking.
Fortunately the airman possesses the advantage. He can manoeuvre beyond
the range of the hostile weapons. At the moment 10,000 feet represents
the extreme altitude to which projectiles can be hurled from the arms
of this character which are now in use, and they lack destructiveness at
that range, for their velocity is virtually expended.
Picking up the range is still as difficult as ever. The practice
followed by the Germans serves to indicate the Teuton thoroughness of
method in attacking such problems even if success does not ensue. The
favourite German principle of disposing anti-aircraft artillery is to
divide the territory to be protected into equilateral triangles, the
sides of which have a length of about six miles or less, according to
the maximum effective range of the pieces at an elevation of 23 1/2
degrees.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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