Info on this stunning image

**Woolgar** · 12-19-2012, 11:23 AM

Thanks guys !! I knew you would come up with the answers

Nick

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 12-19-2012 11:23 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**StuG III** · 12-19-2012, 11:37 AM

Bombing of the USS Alabama, according to google??

Tom

Wings of Valor - The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell
Scroll down to the image as in post 1

**big ned** · 12-19-2012, 01:05 PM

It is the USS Alabama being bombed by a Martin NBS-1 in August 1921. The photo shows the ship taking a direct hit from a phosphorus bomb on the crows nest. The vessel was eventually sunk by hits to the bow and further aft by specially designed 'demolition' bombs. The Navy's own tests had been inconclusive, and were widely seen as being deliberately fudged by them as they had said previously stated that capital ships could not be sunk by aerial bombing. Mitchell proved them wrong, and thereafter the knives were out for him, but that's another story....

Regards, Ned.

**Woolgar** · 12-19-2012, 01:52 PM

Cheers Ned !

Nick

**Glenn66** · 12-19-2012, 03:05 PM

by big ned

capital ships could not be sunk by aerial bombing.

Hmmm, some self-serving, near-sighted geniuses in that navy at the time!

**big ned** · 12-19-2012, 03:42 PM

by Glenn66

Hmmm, some self-serving, near-sighted geniuses in that navy at the time!

The antipathy between the Army AF and the Navy continued for many years after Mitchell proved that airpower made battleships vulnerable. Still the U.S. Navy would disagree right up until 1941 when they printed the programme for the Army-Navy football game on Nov. 29, 1941 included a picture of the battleship Arizona. "It is significant that despite the claims of air enthusiasts no battleship has yet been sunk by bombs," the caption said. The programme did not say what the Navy thought had happened off the Virginia Capes in 1921.

Eight days later, Japanese aircraft bombed and sank Arizona at its moorings at Pearl Harbor.

Regards, Ned.

**AmericanKraut** · 12-19-2012, 06:08 PM

by big ned

The antipathy between the Army AF and the Navy continued for many years after Mitchell proved that airpower made battleships vulnerable. Still the U.S. Navy would disagree right up until 1941 when they printed the programme for the Army-Navy football game on Nov. 29, 1941 included a picture of the battleship Arizona. "It is significant that despite the claims of air enthusiasts no battleship has yet been sunk by bombs," the caption said. The programme did not say what the Navy thought had happened off the Virginia Capes in 1921.

Eight days later, Japanese aircraft bombed and sank Arizona at its moorings at Pearl Harbor.

Regards, Ned.

I think that proved the point....