BOMBERS FOR BRITAIN

Evening Star, Issue 23743, 26 November 1940, Page 11

BOMBERS FOR BRITAIN

A HEARTENING ANNOUNCEMENT AMERICA'S OTHER HELP (By “ Senes.”) The news that the United States is releasing 20-ton, four-engined Consolidated bombers for use by the British against the Axis Powers constitutes one of the most heartening announcements that have been printed for some time.

The Consolidated machine, which will be the model 32 four-motor land-plane bomber, is a most formidable craft. It is the latest development of a company which has solved the problem of the thin wing. Aerodynamically the thin wing is no problem, but structurally it has become one since the size of aeroplanes has been increased. The answer provided by the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation has resulted in most successful machines. The model 32 bomber is known to have a top speed of more than 3QO miles an hour. The wing used is the same as that in the two-motored model 31, which is a flying boat and which is considered to be one of the most efficient aeroplanes in the world. It is also tjie world’s fastest flying boat with a top speed of over 300 m.p.h. The bomber is powered with four l, h.p. Cyclone engines, and though many details concerning it have not been released, its record and that of the other ships made by the same organisation are most encouraging. The British purchasing mission in the United States has placed orders for a large number of Consolidated Model 28-5 two-motored flying boats for use by the Coastal Command. TJiis has a range of about 4,000 miles at about 130 m. The normal range of the Short Sunderland flying boat is about 1,700 miles, though at higher speed. _ While the position of the big Consolidated bombers is not clear, it is known that 120 of them had been ordered by the French and that Britain took over these orders. Thus the first batch will probably be followed quickly by others, especially as the Consolidated Corporation has a record of rapid production. It designed and built the model 31 in only seven months. At the same time thbre seems little doubt that the deliveries of the Consolidated planes will be followed quickly by the Boeing Flying Fortresses. At March Field, Riverside, California, 20 of these giant planes were being readied for a non-stop flight to Virginia at the end of last month. Thirty of the United States Array Air Corps B-17 Boeings (there are 46 in all) are normally stationed at the Californian bombing base, and the sudden switching, of so many of them to the other side of the continent led to reports that,there would be early delivery of the machines to Britain,

Colour to this report is given by the fact that a new Flying Fortress is now being built to reinforce the Army Air Corps. This machine, which surpasses the earlier type,"'is known as the B-17C, is also a four-motored monster, and is expected to have a greater range and carrying power than the B-17. The power of the Wright Cyclone engines is slightly higher. - The first of these ships was delivered" at Dayton, Ohio, late last month, and while there has been no official information of the rate of production, Army Air Corps officers in California said that the new 'Flying Fortresses were being completed at the rate of seven a month at the Boeing plant at Seattle. Actually, in obtaining the Consolidated bomber the R.A.F. may have gained a plane which is even better than the Flying Fortress. The «peed of both is in excess of 300 m.p.h., the range of both is 3,000 miles, and the Consolidated Model 32 weighs 20 tons, with the 22 tons of the Boeing machine. The bomb loads of both planes must be approximately the same, also. ,In the matter of performance in the air the Consolidated machine may be expected to surpass the older ship. At the same time efforts continue to be made to have tho secret Sperry bomb-sfght handed over with the new ships, it is reported. One United States Senator claimed last month that ho possessed definite information, and had obtained it from a high-placed army officer, that the United States had agreed to hand over tho bomb-sight. Major-general Henry H. Arnold, Chief of the Air Corps, who has opposed the release of the sight, refused to deny this report that Britain was to get it. How will these new planes be delivered? The answer is; By air. The creation of a “ ferry service ” for American planes has been pushed ahead in recent weeks, but the idea of delivery by air is not new. One of the Consolidated model 28-5 flying boats mentioned above was flown over the Atlantic to Felixstowe as far back as July, 1939, and has long since been written off. All the other planes of the same type are to bo flown over.

A few weeks ago groups of Americans actively sympathetic to the British cause established offices in various parts of the country to interview experienced airmen. The airmen who arrived were invited either to help the Canadian or British air forces or to join the ranks of the ferry pilots. These interviewing centres exist in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Oakland, California, Dallas, Texas, and Kansas City, Missouri.

Candidates are given physical and flight tests and then recommended to the Canadian authorities. They are chosen from men -who are not a member of any of the various military or naval air units or of the reserves of these units. They must also bo able to produce evidence of bavin* 400 to 1,000 hours of flying time. Under a special dispensation an American may now join the British or Canadian flying services without hie citizenship being affected.

If he elects to become a service pilot he will receive regular Air Force pay. If he chooses to sign up as a ferrv pilot he is given 150 dollars a week, or 400 dollars a month when not working, plus a bonus of 500 dollars for every machine that is delivered to Britain. The ocean crossing which has to be made to earn this pay is 1,900 miles.