“FLYING FORTRESSES”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 7 December 1940, Page 5

“FLYING FORTRESSES”

BIG BOMBERS FROM UNITED STATES RELEASE TO BRITAIN [U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright) WASHINGTON, sth December. The United States has formally released 20 Boeing “flying fortresses.” They will be available for Britain when the Norden secret bomb-sight has been replaced by the Sperry. One of the 26 four-engined Consolidated bombers recently released has been already delivered and the remainder will be delivered by March.

On 20th November the United States Army announced that the United States had released to Britain 26 four-engined bombers which were built for the United'States air force. Informed officials stated that aid to Britain would be accelerated by the release of additional planes which were being produced for the United States own defence forces. The planes, the release of which was announced, were Consolidated bombers. They would be equipped with the Sperry bomb-sight, not the secret bomb-sight. The planes are 20-tonners with a range, fully loaded, of at least 3000 miles. General Marshall, Chief of ; the Army Staff, said that no comparable plane had ever been used on active operations. In exchange for getting priority for these bombers Britain had released to the United States sufficient* engines to equip for the United States 41 Boeing flying fortresses at present without engines. Negotiations were continuing for the release to Britain of 20 of the latest type Boeings, completely equipped except for the bomb-sight. AMERICAN AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY PROGRESS OF EXPANSION NEW YORK, sth December. Aircraft manufacturers sent 83,356,000 dollars on plant expansion for defence production in 1940, and let contracts for an additional 232,188,000 dollars for operations by June. Employment increased from 60,000 in January to 164,920 at present, and will be 382,000 by June.