THE “BLITZ” ’PLANE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 295, 10 November 1934, Page 7

THE “BLITZ” ’PLANE.

A GERMAN WONDER

If, as some experts predict, the chief objective of combatants in the next war will be the wholesale destruction of ground targets from the air, without necessarily indulging in air fighting, as such, Germany is already in a position to make an “impression.” That energetic nation, regardless of its pleas of economic poverty, is now putting the final touches to a vast inan-and-machine organisation capable of destroying fleets, towns, ports, railways, and bridges “almost at a moment’s notice” (writes a London correspondent). The secret of this new power lies with the new “Blitz” (lightning) aeroplane, at present being produced ostensibly as an express passenger machine. It has been designed by the famous Dr. Heinkel, and is one of the most beautiful, graceful, and clean-lined craft ever conceived. It has no visible struts or wheels when in flight (wheels and tailskid being drawn in as soon as the ’plane leaves the ground), and can attain a speed of 250 m.p.h. Yet in spite of this impressive air velocity, it lands at under 60 miles an hour, thus obviating tbe necessity for large and costly aerodromes. In civil guise the “Blitz” is a sevenseater passenger machine; but with a few inexpensive alterations it could quickly be transformed into a light bomber, with qualities so new as to make obsolete nearly' every modern principle of air attack and defence. In war it would carry 10001 b. of bombs over a range of 1000 miles at well over 200 miles an hour. Nor would any machine-guns or defensive armament be carried, a startling feature of the war theories that have evolved round this type of ’plane being that it should not defend itself 1 The space and weight of guns, ammunition, and gunners will •be devoted instead to bombs. Should such a machine be “caught” the crew yvould rely for escape upon its extraordinary flexibility of manoeuvre and its speed. An authority who is well acquainted with aerial developments in Germany declared that experts in that country regard ordinary squadron training and formation as old-fashioned. Their opinion is that the nation which destroys most and quickest will b? the victor in any future war. Apropos of which, swarms of “Blitz” ’planes, each carrying 500 thermite bombs af 21b. weight (these bombs burn at a temperature of 2700 degrees Centigrade), could, in a single expedition, reduce London to ashes 1

That Germany will soon possess these “swarms” cannot be doubted. The “Blitz,” provided suitable plant be laid down, can be mass-produced as swiftly as a car, and relatively as cheaply. If turned out at the rate of hundreds a day' the production costs would be no more than £6OO a machine; probably less. That, at all events, is the view taken by practical costing experts, who are tremendously impressed by the possibilities. As for essential trained man-power, Germany has recently succeeded in establishing strong reserves of power ’plane and gliding pilots—reserves that will shortly be more than ample for any emergency. That, by the way, is a fact that France is keenly conscious of, and of which she never ceases to complain. British authorities, however, still mentally bound to the conditions of a war which ended in 1918, profess to see no cause for uneasiness.