AN AERIAL TERROR

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 15, 17 January 1919, Page 3

AN AERIAL TERROR

TO LAUNCH TORPEDOES

NEW BRITISH PRODUCTION.

The description is now available (states the Sydney Sun's representative) of the wonderful British flying torpedo-boats which were recently perfected. This shows how narrowly the armistice saved the German fleet and the German naval harbonrs from a tremendous aerial bombardment. The completeness of the defences screening the hidden German ships made the approach of submarines or destroyers nearer than thirty miles most dangerous, and challenged the ingenuity of British designers. As a result there was a gradual development of powerful and rapid aeroplanes, of which the secret was most jealously guarded, with a speed of ISO miles an hour, carrying an ordinary submarine torpedo. The machine was capable of suddenly diving from the clouds and levelling out 50 feet above its objective. After the torpedo was launched the aeroplane could mount at a high speed, leaving the enemy no chance to reply by gun fire. I It was one of the first completed mystery aeroplanes which sank a Turkish transport with 3000 troops. Kiel was marked put for a heavy and concerted onslaught on the eve of the armistice, and it is believed that the German anticipation of this attack and their knowledge of their inability to counter it, hastened the acceptance of the Allies' terms. The original design was almost defeated owing to the difficulties of ensuring the safety of the aeroplane after discharging its torpedo, sometimes weighing a ton, owing to the sudden lightening. The wings of one machine collapsed, hurling the pilot to death, and in another instance the torpedo hit the water at an awkward angle, ricochetted, and demolished a machine which had not risen sufficiently. Ultimately the Air Ministry secured the assistance of a northern munitions firm, and, after many efforts and changes in design, stability wae secured. [The idea of an aeroplane to launch torpedoes is by no means hew. A wellknown American expert, Admiral Fisk, was at work upon the idea many years ago.]