FIGHTER AIRCRAFT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 25 October 1941, Page 5

FIGHTER AIRCRAFT

BRITISH FORETHOUGHT IN DESIGN Rugby. Oct., 24. How British design and forethought ipioved a match for German mass [planning and ruthlessness lias been [described by the Air Ministry in an [account of the origins of the eight:gr Cpilfire and Hurricane lighters—--1 famous aircraft which routed the [Luftwaffe in daylight attacks on Eng ■land a year ago. That Britain possesocu, at such a crucial moment, fighters of such performance that small nun hers were able to establish superiority over anything the enemy could send over was due to the men who foresaw in the developments of modern bombers the need for fighters of superlative quality as defensive weapons. In considering the eventual replacement of "Fury” and "Bulldog," a lightjer with eight guns was first proposed by the lute Wing Commander A. T. Williams in April, 1933. Later the ad- | vent of the monoplane enabled the new proposal to be adopted with less adverse effect on flying performance. New {plans were drawn up by Squadron Leader R. S. Sorley in 1935. and then British engineers produced a first-class liquid cooled engine—Rolls Royce Mer--1 iin 2—which gave the designers of the [Spitfire and the Hurricane that performance, power and shape which enabled them to produce the first aircraft which would not only fire eight instead {of four guns, but also exceed 300 miles ian hour and climb higher than operational aircraft had done before. ! If this revolutionary change of ! policy had not been made, Britain would have been found with fighters ; insufficiently armed to deal with the 1 German bomber put into production [soon after Hitler came to power. Further indication of the superiority of quality to quantity was the fact that 'our planes went back into the am time [after time each day. Squadron Leader Sorley - now Air Vice Marshal, aged 43—is now assis itant Chief of Air S’ ti charged with j special consideration el' operational requirements and tact)<v\ Decisions of to-day for the fighting requirements of to-morrow remain his province.— 8.0. W.