DEADLY AIRCRAFT

Evening Star, Issue 22595, 12 March 1937, Page 14

DEADLY AIRCRAFT

EGG-SHAPED FIGHTER In 1915 a young Dutchman changed the world’s ideas of -war in the air, writes Victor Burnett, in the ‘ Sunday Express.’ He invented a device that enabled a machine-gun-to fire through the propeller. . The day he invented, it real warfare began. Bound his device small, manoeuverable, high-speed single-seaters were built.

The young Dutchman’s name was Anthony Fokker. The new idea ,he brought stood unchanged through the years. Fighters were faster, more efficient, more expensive, but in principle they were the same. Recently the entire aviation world saw that its ideas had to be changed. Anthony Fokker’s latest warplane was responsible. For the second time the Dutchman had changed military ideas. The machine is called the Scythe. And it is the most deadly instrument that ever flew.

It looks like a sharp-ended, winged egg, with two fuselages supporting the tail. An engine, is on each wing., . Its wheels fold up into the engine cases when it is flying.

Hidden in its streamlined body are 1,000 pounds of bombs. The pointed tail is a battleship gun turret, worked automatically, with the gun able to fire at any angle.

And in its rounded nose are two quickfirers, with magazines of 100 explosive shells. Just one of these shells would blast an aircraft to pieces. Above these cannon are two machineguns.

There is room in the fuseage for complete radio equipment and photographic apparatus. The crew consists of pilot and gunner. The speed is 300 miles an hour. The rango'exceeds 1,000 miles.

The Scythe is an air battle cruiser. It can do anything.. Instead of a series of fast fighters, with short ranges, being sent up at intervals to intercept a raid, squadrons of these machines can patrol over segments of a circle, at varying heights. It is a real interceptor. In Paris, at the aviation exhibition, everyone was asking which air force the Scythe was intended for. I can answer that question. The It oval Dutch Air Force will be 'lppcd with them fir.-t.