BIG-GUN 'PLANES

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 144, 21 June 1930, Page 11

BIG-GUN 'PLANES

CRAFT OF lUTUEE

WIRELESS CONTROL

Two aspects of. .aircraft .development are, receiving consideration at 'the, present time. One is the evolution of the big-gun 'plane, the other the control of piiptless machinesi, ;• . . ■''.'. . . ,-•..' ■-;•>'.' ■•..' 'The' JDo-X, the monster German flying-" boat which recently ascended ■■<■■' with: a; crowd of 160 people, and big land and: sea aircraft which;:are'.being\developed in; Great Britain; and other-countries, have brought; into, immediate 'prominence the big-gun aeroplane," says Major <X' C?'Turrier, writing .in the "Daily Telegraph." This class has, in fact," been, built: exr perimentallyiii the past, but recent greatsize development, the possibility- of which had been denied by.; one school of .'design, has solved'the problem.. ';.;C-'.-.'-■". •;; ;

The Do-X, with its twelve engines and weight "of^nearly; fifty tons, may -not. nbe a' complete; success from; the commercial point of view, but that it opens up:possibilities in the armingof aircraft ■; with guns of heavy calibre cannot :be .doubted. A^class of six-engined- flying ■ boat, and also of bip land aeroplanes, which' promise better commercial results than the Do-X, also makes 'the heavily-armed aeroplane immediately realisable. % \ . , ■-. .",■ .':-..:

/In aircraft we .iiave entered Tijiqn a progressive armament deyelopmerit similar to that.-which; has: existed in the naval arm for centuries' past. ;■'"'"■•■ ■'. '\ ,V».- •".■■>'■-.■'■■•■'•■ .. As,: long ago. as ,the autumn: of ;:1917, •I saw at -an 'aerodrome in' Flanders a twin-engined,: bomber, equipped'■'■'■with .• \a : Davis 'gun, which I believe, was a 2in gun firing a special shell! of /about 31b. „ ;Iri. this; gun the recoil," a difficult matter to deal within aircr'aft.Xwas' neutralised, by a compensating 'discharge, from the rear of,the weapon; [Which •necessarily" :was a very long and cumbrous .one. .".The compensating , discharge,,.moreover; j-w&B;'.- >& grave ■ embarrassment.;, ;':-This; : gunSwas never used in action..;.,//.;,;,. : ; ;^;:/;\ :. ■ I A: special experimental-gun aeroplane built- since" the'war sis; .- th'e'iWestland " Westbiiry " which carries: a gun in ;a. for-ward-turret <: and "& Machine • gun aft of the pilot's" cockpit. '.The "Westbury" is a: twan-engirio' 'plane,' weighing' about .3% tons.'. '".-..-'.■ •■'..-V .-; .''■•"-■';■ ■■■..'■■'■':'■:'•■■::'.'•'"'>.!■' .■■■■ The/advantages; of-, this ;class-'of<.war, machine are obvious.'-. Action can:begin at greater.,range,-: and, in pointVof..fact;' a.' greater effective •■quantity.' of '■.'iunm.uhi-' tion-'can bo carried.than 'for,; the"wasteful machine: gun:-' t ■Shells; of ~tw,o,] or'three kinds will be used. •;.;■> \:''a^:\>-\-\ ■•£;:/ ■■' ,'Aeroplanes of size, and; weight sumcient for. carrying 40-pouudei's',will ere, long" be. available/ V These' regarded. ; as flying, gun1, platforms^:; and "will :have jde-V finitely offensive functions.' ":; l yV<:-'..f-,"' 1 r ■.-■ ■ Experiments still 'in progress in : many, countries , with unmanned aircraft con-, trolled by.-wireless, either;fr6m;the ground or- from other 'aircraft, i are-mot .made specifically with a view, to; bombing:. Evenif complete/success" were attained; ;and aeroplanes could; be cbhtrqlled .by wifeless when 'out of "sight;; their, employment; as bombers or "long-range guns' 'would be open to :practical objections; ,' \ '.*^'(<~i: : . ■ It- would be..-.extravagant ..'to;? sacrifice costly complete aeroplanes and engines, and'their scientific apparatus *on i ther. mere chance:\6f hitting some important ...target in''.a'-. city:-or an.■ arsenal.. <i No :; ,' ; matteri how successful' wireless-control may; be, nothing like the accuracy qbtainable^ by; the. airman ■ bomber' using modern .bomb' sights could be; secured.-V't; 'i-;i; '■■ ■"•■■ '-;;:.:.('-:"r.•; - 'Two -other1 classes of auto'matio; .flying' apparatus ,'have been •/■.. developed'to far' more purpose, and are actually in.use; by: the;' Air Ministry;'and- the ; ;.R.A.Fi. -One.is. the Pilot's"1 Assister, .which'.relieves.:.the pilot of. the ..task of.. '.controlling • .■the. machine/. Last .November,'.-it was , announced that . a squadron of night bombers had been equipped--'with this".■.'v;;V-;;, ;;.;. _'. ■ The other is the^ Automatic Observeri whiSh is being used ;jn the. high-speed sea-; plane research flying ■. at; Felixstowe.; .This apparatus'leaves the pilot freeto carry: out his flying . instructions. '■.;- ■-. .::.'.;;.■.■!■;.;".:"!