ARMY & NAVY: Bogie Guns

ARMY & NAVY

One of the last fights fought by the late Royal S. Copeland was for adequate antiaircraft equipment for the army. As Senator from New York, he could well visualize what might happen to the topless towers of Manhattan if enemy bombers ever laid eggs among them. Inland Senators were apathetic, but other coast Senators agreed. He knew that the nine antiaircraft regiments of the regular army have only seven or eight guns apiece (twelve is par), that few of the ten antiaircraft regiments of the National Guard have anything more effective than machine guns. Largely due to Senator Copeland, $13,000,000 went into the army’s 1938 appropriation specifically earmarked for antiaircraft, and the army was authorized to contract for $10,000,000 more in antiaircraft ordnance, for later delivery. Last week the army placed its orders: for 333 weapons and ammunition, range finders, searchlights and other accessories to match. Most of the guns will be made piecemeal by private factories, assembled in army arsenals. The guns, basically similar to what is often called the best-designed gun of modern times, the great French 75, will be able to fire 50 or 60 shots per minute, to a vertical range of 30,000 ft., will be highly mobile, mounted on bogies (two-wheeled trailers).