BOMBING AEROPLANES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22090, 22 April 1935, Page 10

BOMBING AEROPLANES

FOUR MACHINES ARRIVE NEW ZEALAND DEFENCES ASSEMBLING AT HOBSONVILLE The first four of 12» nrtv bomber aircraft for the New Zealand Air Force arrived in Auckland by the Rangitata on Saturday. Built in London by Vickers (Aviation), Limited, the machinos will bo assembled at the Hobsonville Air Base under the direction of an English expert. The aeroplanes are the latest models of the Vildebeest military aircraft which are already in service with Royal Air Force units. It has been decided not to use them as torpedo bombers, but to take advantage of the torpedo fitting between the undercarriage legs for installing an extra petrol tank, which will give the machines a cruising range of 1250 miles at a speed of approximately 122 miles an hour. A military load of over 20001b., which is a bigger bomb load than is usually taken by a modern bomber, may be carried. Tho Vildebeests have exceptionally good take-off and climbing qualities and a fairly slow landing speed. Fitted with a 620 h.p. Bristol Pegasus engine geared to drive a large air-screw, the machines have a ceiling of 17,500 ft. The pilot's cockpit, set well forward of the wings, affords a clear field of vision, while from the after cockpit an air gunner has a prone bombing platform set beneath tho pilot.