AERIAL TORPEDO

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 170, 5 August 1937, Page 7

AERIAL TORPEDO

> l»> Minefieids Distribuied to Cotinter Raids TIME-BOMBS ON ROCKETS LONDON, July 2b. A remarkable story o£ a devioe to lay " aerial minefieids5' to eounter raiding aircraft is described in the Sunday Cbronicle, wliich says it has been examined and praised by aeronautical experts. «■ It is stated that the inventor, Mr Harry Grindell-Mattliews, has desigiied an aerial torpedo which will reach a height of 32,000 feet within a few seconds. At tbig height, the rocket Will discliarge upwards of 20 pai'dcliutes, to Which time-bombs are attached by high tensile quality steel wires. The parent rocket is provided Witli its own parachute, which blows out at the end, this enablihg the rocket to be retrieved and recliarged. Large numbers of tliese rockets wotild be discliatged in a short time, releasing coloiiies of 20 to 30 smaller rockets -and so creatitig an aerial minefield over a wide area. The cost of the rockets would be a few huttdred pounds each. The Suttday Chroilicle describes the iuventor's experimental etation as situated on a lonely Wekh plateau surrounded by' aii electrical fence and barbed wire fences .In the Workshops, it adds, the rockets will be manufactured soon. Mr Grindell-Matthews, who was born in 1880, has devoted many years to scicntific research, especially in the sphere of air defence. In 1911 he succeeded in establishing wireless communication with an aeroplane in flight. His inventions include an automatio pilot for aeroplafies, cotttrol of boats by searchlight beams, and submarilie detectors. He has been engaged on defeuce against aircraft and submarines since 1930.