RUSSIA IN THE AIR

Evening Star, Issue 22540, 7 January 1937, Page 11

RUSSIA IN THE AIR

OVERRATED FORCE BUT METHODS IMPROVING PRESENT STRENGTH^ Russia’s air force, in many ways the Bolsheviks’ most astounding achievement, is probably the largest in the world, writes A. T. Cholerton, in the ‘Daily Telegraph.’ But Herr Hitlers advisers are certainly laughing in their sleeves when they tell their Fuhrer that it is a grave, calculated menace to the German nation. Of Russia’s 4,500 odd war aeroplanes, only some 2,000 are what we should call “ fairly modern types.” These are split up into two independent isolated forces, one permanently facing Germany and the other Japan, on fronts 6,000 miles apart—that is, at a distance which makes the reinforcement of one front by the other in war time virtually impracticable. Secondly, while it is true that the proportion of bombers, the weapons of aggression, is higher in the Red Air Force than in most others, most of the bombers are on the slow side, having been built in big series, to the exclusion of almost everything else, at a time when it was necessary at all costs to over-awe the Japanese. They would be less useful for work on the West, and they are now being replaced as rapidly as possible. PEACE-TIME OUTPUT. Thirdly, the Soviet has to go on building aeroplanes at full blast in peace time, and maintain the biggest peace-time air force because the “ War Potential ” (potential deguerre) of the Russian industry is still much less elastic than that of, for instance, Germany, England, or France. It is not so easy in Russia to adapt peace-time factories to war needs. Nor is it so easy to turn over rapily from building one type of aeroplane to a newer type. Russian efforts in aero construction have hitherto been mainly imitative, and, therefore, although they have now learned to imitate fast and efficiently, they are still almost always just slightly behind the great Western States in bringing out new types. Now that they have a powerful air force to show, the Russians are far less secretive about it. Civil and military delegations of' foreign experts (notably the French) have recently been allowed to inspect the great State plants where aeroplanes and engines are built, and, moreover, given approximate data about present Red air effectives, the performances of the latest types, and the output programmes of the industry. The number of bombers is now estimated at between 900 and 1,200. The bulk of them, 700 to 800, are heavy, four-engined, all-metal “ TB 3 ” monoplanes, first brought out in 1931-32. The first series of these was fitted with the German “ BMW VI. ” engine built in Russia under license, and known as “ M 17 ” ; the second series with the more powerful Soviet-' designed “ M 34 ” engine. “ TB 3 ” is a good, reliable machine, with a maximum range of 1,250 miles, but it is slow; the cruising speed of the rather faster second series is only 135 m.p.h., and it is heavy in terms of its useful load. Carrying only two tons of bombs, it weighs 18 tons, A NEWER EDITION, However, a modernised and very fast edition of this four-engined bomber is now undergoing trials as “ TB 6.” It is fitted with four Soviet-designed “ M 34” engines of 1,200 h.p., plus a fifth engine (Hispano-Sniza) specially to work the compressors of the other four. Weighing 22-23 tons, it is said to have a range of over 2,000 miles with a bomb load of two tons, is built of smooth metal, has a retractable undercarriage, and a speed of over 280 miles per hour is claimed for it at 23,000 ft. , . It was recently shown to a visiting delegation of French aeronautical experts. The Red air force already scorns to possess well over 100 “SB” bombers, a very interesting, light, twin-engined, all-metal monoplane of an American type with retractable undercarriage.

Fitted with “ Wright Cyclone ” engines, now built in Russia under license as “M 25,” it is said to have a maximum speed of over 240 miles per hour. It is quite handy in the air, carries three-quarters of a ton of bombs, and with a crew of four on board has a range of about 1,000 miles. Brought out in 1935, it, is now being built in a big series, and js already being improved upon. A heavier, faster, and more powerful variant is now coming out. The remaining bombers are all oldfashioned types, dating from 1929 or even earlier, and stationed mainly in quiet frontier zones, such as the Caucasus and Central Asia. General purposes aeroplanes are said to number upwards of 1,800, most of them out of date by foreign standards, but including some useful types. Singleseater fighters are said to number 1,2001,500. OTHER MACHINES. There are still some hundreds of “ I 5” biplanes, first brought out in 1931 and fitted with an “ M 22 ” engine (really a French “ Jupiter ” built under license). Rather like the “ Bristol Bulldog,” the “I 5 ” is very handy in the air, with maximum speed of 180 ■miles' per hour. “I 7 ” —another former standard fighter now being gradually discarded — is also a biplane or mixed construction, with maximum speed 190 miles per hour, brought out in 1931, really a German “ Hemkel,” built under license and fitted with the German “ BMW VI.” engine (Soviet’s “M 17”). The above two machines were used to equip the majority of fighter squadrons. But there aro now probably 20u-300 “ I 15’s,” and perhaps 300-400 “ I 16’s ” already in commission. The “I 15 ” is a single-seater biplane of mixed construction brought out in 1933-34 and fitted with an “ M 25 ” (Wright Cyclone) engine. With maximum speed of 215-220 miles per hour, this type is quite remarkably “ manoeuvrable.” The "I 16 ” is the Soviet first monoplane fighter of mixed construction with retractable undercarriage, fitted with an “ M 85 ” (Gnome-Rhone) engine. Its speed is above 280 miles per hour, and as much as 300 miles per hour is claimed for it. It is quite handy in the air, and a good climber despite its small wing surface. First brought out in 1934-. 35, it is well up to the best foreign types. The " I 17 ” will be the next fighter to be built in a big series; an all-metal single-seater monoplane with retractable undercarriage and three machineguns on each side of the propeller. Fitted with a “ 12 Y ” Hispano engine (now beginning to be built in Russia under license) its speed is claimed to be “ over 300 miles per hour.” SIMPLE STANDARDISATION. What strikes foreign visitors most—when, twice or thrice yearly, they are allowed to glimpse the Red Air Force in mighty parade over Red Square—is the surprisingly few types of aeroplane put into commission. This extreme standardisation is made possible by the Single Command in everything here. All aeroplanes and aero engines are built by a single immense State Trust called “ Glavavioprom ” (Chief Aviation Industry), which also controls all factories making the special metals and fittings used in aeroplane Construction, and all the designing offices. Michael Kaganovich, brother of Stalin’s Jewish transport dictator, is the “ boss ” of this great organisation. Thus the Red General Staff, urged on by Joseph Stalin, is absolutely free to impose the types it wants and order the entire industry to concentrate on them, unhampered by parliamentary interference or the need to spare the working masses from crushing burdens, or by the competing interests of great pm at© firms. In March, 1935, when Mr Eden was in Moscow', I was allowed to visit Glavavioprom’s No. 22 factory at Phili, on the city’s outskirts, w'hich is rarely shown to foreigners. This luxurious plant, run by Junkers in the hey-dey of Soviet-German military cooperation and since then much enlarged, is almost overloaded with costly foreign equipment, and now employs upwards of 12,000 men and women, probably building 350 to 400 bombing aeroplanes annually. Glavavioprom is said to possess at least six other plants comparable to Phili. all very remote from frontiers, and so less exposed to aerial bombardment. Two or three of them are in the Far Eastern region, and, it is claimed, are able to supply all present needs of the autonomous Red Air Force there. The plant in Gorki (former Nijni Novgorod), which specialises in single-seater fighters is even more lavishly equipped than Phili.

THE ENGINE UNITS

The three, or four chief aero-engine works are said to be turning out 10,000 to 12,000 units annually, without counting low-power motors for school and training work; and they claim they will be producing 24,000 units by 1938. The Soviet has now; bought licenses to make several up-to-dato foreign engines, including the American “ Wright Cyclone ” and the French “ GnomeRhone Kl 4 ” and Hispano 12 Y. For heavier types of aero-motor, Glavavioprom no longer needs foreign help. Thus', unless war comes, Russia'’ now possesses an adequate range of engiiles for several years. The oldest three or four of the above-mentioned plants are staffed with the cream of Russian skilled labour and engineers. But Glavavioprom is said to be having some difficulty in staffing the newer ones. At least three big institutes are now training engineers for aeroplane construction; the Mosgow school turns out 1,200 yearly, but standards are still low. . Three institutes are in charge ot Glavavioprom’s main technical researches—ZAGl (the Central AerohydroDynamic Institute), ZIAM (for motors), YIAM (for materials)—all three magnificently equipped. .There are also superb test laboratories at Schelkovo Aerodrome (the Red Farnstaff actually works in four six-hour shifts. This institute is famous for the designing office attached to it under that Russian genius, the veteran constructor Tupolef, for long dictator of aeroplane design here, who trained a brilliant team of. younger men. Always under German influence, he rather early imposed the all-metal monoplane with long, deep wing, aqd still leads the Russian field for big bombers.

CAN EXPERIMENT NOW

Now, however, that the Soviet can afford to experiment with a greater variety of protoypes, separate designing offices have, on the' European principle, been attached to all the mam aeroplane factories, under engineers mostly trained by Tupolef, but with independent views on construction. The pick of Russia’s young men now seek service in t-he Red Air Force. V 1? Central Academy of the Air, founded by Leo Trotsky, trains flying officerspecialists in all technical branches. All pilots spend at least three years in flying schools. All senior staff officers are expected to do a great deal of practical flying. , ■ The Bolsheviks set out to make the young civilian masses “air-minded”' at a very low cost, even if with many casualties, by teaching them parachute jumping. And the Red Staff has now developed this into a new and original “ air arm.” Russia, perhaps, more than anv other land, has. every motive for seeking a swift decision. When war comes the big night bombers sent out to wreck the enemy’s mobilisation by raiding railway junctions, bridges, and munition depots, will be accompanied by troop carriers with ■“ death companies” of parachutists, armed with light automatics. bombs, revolvers, and explosives, who will jump to undertake the same work on the ground. They say, half jokingly, that they mean to raid enemy G.H.’Q. and kill the “ bourgeois generals in their beds.” Still larger - detachments, perhaps running into thousands, will he dropped close no to the actual battle zone and try to capture landing fields for transport aeroplanes loaded with . light tanks and other motorised material, to attack the enemy’s field army in the rear, while the Red army attempts its classical manoeuvre: a mass breakthrough on the enemy’s flank by tanks and cavalry with special air co-opera-tion squadrons in support. The parachute arm might work wonders in sparsely-populated Manchuria, Mongolia and parts of Poland, but only actual, war .could test its raiding value against the dense industrial regions of Germany. -