An English airman has recently suggested a means of mining
invading Zeppelins which differs completely from the foregoing
proposals. His idea is that aeroplanes should be equipped with
small mines of the contact type, charged with high explosives,
and that the latter should be lowered from the aeroplane and be
trawled through the atmosphere. As an illustration I will suppose
that a hostile aircraft is sighted by a patrolling aeroplane.
The pilot's companion in the latter immediately prepares his
aerial mine, fixing the detonator, and attaching the mine to the
wire. The latter is then dropped overboard, the wire being paid
out from a winch until it has descended to the level of the
hostile craft. The airman now manoeuvres in the air circling
about the airship, dragging his mine behind him, and endeavouring
to throw it across or to bring it into contact with the airship
below. Naturally the latter, directly it observed the airman's
object, would endeavour to elude the pursuing trawling mine,
either by crowding on speed or by rising to a greater altitude.
The aeroplane, however, would have the advantage both in point of
speed and powers of climbing, while there is no doubt that the
sight of the mine swinging in the air would exert a decisive
moral effect upon those in the airship.
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