These shells are
given a wide cone of dispersion. Experiments are also being made
with a gun similar to the pom-pom which proved so useful in South
Africa, the gun throwing small shells varying from four to eight
ounces in weight at high velocity and in rapid succession. While
such missiles would not be likely to inflict appreciable damage
upon an armoured aeroplane, they would nevertheless be
disconcerting to the aviators subjected to such fire, and in
aerial combats the successful undermining of the adversary's
moral is of far greater importance than in land operations, since
immediately ascendancy in the artillery operations is attained
the final issue is a matter of moments.
But the most devastating arm which has yet been contrived for
aerial operations is the light machine gun which has recently
been perfected. The one objective with this weapon is to disable
the hostile aircraft's machinery. It fires an armour piercing
projectile which, striking the motor of any aircraft, would
instantly put the latter out of action. The shell has a diameter
of about .75 inch and weighs about four ounces.
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