T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 18

LH 9/13/P-2 Ref'ce'ce No. MH/226/Air ***------- Royal Air Force, Mount Batten, PLYMOUTH. 14th July, 1931. The Air Officer Commanding, Coastal Area, Royal Air Force, 33/34 Tavistock Place, W.C.1. ---------------------------- HIGH SPEED BOMBING TARGET My report forwarded you as ME/1005/18/M dated 17th June, 1931, described in paragraph 3 the first towing trials of a naval fog-signal signals adapted for Royal ... Force use as a moving bombing target. Trials with thistarget have continued at intervals since, andhave put me ina position to report upon it more fully. I attach photographs of the target itself, andofits being towed in Plymouth Sound at 15 and 20 miles per hour. SPEEDS. It will be noted that the target is designed to make an arrow-head ripple in the water, and to throw up spray. The ripple is noticeable after 6 miles an hour is attained. Spray rises well at 12 miles per hour. The best results, from thepoint of visibility, are reached at 20 miles an hour. At speeds above 20 miles an ... the targetbecomes unstable, pitching and screwing; eventually at about 30 miles an hour it ...