Billy Mitchell's public spectacle was far removed from a realistic test of aircraft against an alert, manoeuvring warship. The target was stationary, and the aircraft struggled to deliver the attacks that later retellings present as decisive proof. Naval evaluators wanted to inspect the ship between strikes so they could measure damage and survivability systematically. Mitchell's showmanship overrode that sequence, sacrificing useful evidence and making professional decision-makers less receptive even while the press embraced his claim.
Notable Point · 2:40:12-2:44:31
What Billy Mitchell's bombing tests did not prove
The famous bombing demonstration created headlines but used stationary targets and disrupted the controlled damage study naval planners needed.