Aeronautics

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

MILITARY. Airplanes vs. Battleships. -A widely discussed test of the relative military values of airplanes and battleships was made in June and July, 1921, off the Virginia Capes. A number of former German submarines and the former scout cruiser "Frankfort" were first sent quickly to the bottom by army and navy bombing planes, and on July 21 the former German dreadnought "Ostfriesland" was likewise bombed and sunk. This was said to be the first case of a large battleship ever being sunk by aerial bombing, and the matter attracted wide attention. Sixty-nine bombs in all were dropped, and of these 16 were hits; but the test was not made under conditions of actual warfare, since the "Ostfriesland" was anchored and therefore without ability to maneuver, and was also without the means of defense in antiaircraft guns, etc. A more important test was that made with the former U. S. battleship "Iowa," which was radio-controlled during the bombing and was moved at a speed of about four and a half knots per hour. Over 80 bombs were dropped from an altitude of 4,000 feet, and of these only two were hits. A joint army and navy board headed by General Pershing made a report on the results of the experiments, in which it was declared to be their judgment that the battleship remained the backbone of the nation's defense. The radius of action of airplanes carrying heavy bombs was found to be limited; their ability to hit the target under battle conditions was declared to be much smaller than in the "Ostfriesland" and "Iowa" tests; and the protection of the modern battleship against such bombing was also declared to be much more complete than in the case of the old ships sunk. The bombing plane was declared to be limited in effectiveness to coast or base defense, except as its field of action might be widened by aircraft carriers. Treaty of amity AFGHANISTAN and alliance with Soviet Russia (Feb. 28, 1921). New treaty with Great Britain (Nov. 22, 1921), agreeing that no Russian agents be received and recognizing full Afghan independence. AGRICULTURAL BLOC. (See BLOCS.) AGRICULTURAL CONFERENCE. (See UNITED STATES, 1921-1922.)