NEW BOMBER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24133, 27 November 1941, Page 10

NEW BOMBER

MODIFIED HURRICANE SPEED LIKE FIGHTER TERRIFIC DESTRUCTIVE POWER LONDON, Nov. 24 Australian, New Zealand and British fighter squadrons have each been briefed several times to escort the new Hurricane bombers, flown by the pilots of a Canadian fighter squadron, in sweeps over occupied territory. The modified Hurricane is a logical successor to the ground-strafer of the 1914-18 war, and the Canadian fighter pilots are amazed at its perlonuance. "It is just like a normal Hurricane fighter," said a flight-lieutenant from Montreal. "The take-off may be slightly longer, but the Hurribomber flies almost as fast as the fighter, and after the bombs are gone it is able to meet the enemy with the best of them. Smash Everything in Path "Bombs dropped at fighter speed become veritable aerial torpedoes, smashing everything in their path, and making a beautiful mess when they explode." A Canadian sergeant-pilot, describing a bombing operation, said: "The bombs were dropped from between 10ft. and 20ft. at speeds of upward of 300 miles an hour. They hit the ground directly f under the aircraft, and because of the trajectory were still parallel with the

aircraft's flight. They land flat and jump, porpoise-like, in the air, skipping 20ft. above the ground for 100 yards or so, then they rebound. Sometimes they do three groat skips, exploding «is much as a quarter ol a mile from the point where they are dropped. "I dropped one bomb at an extra big railway station and saw it skip through the station at a speed of 200 miles an hour, demolishing large sections of the platforms on the way. and come out on the other side ot the station, exploding in the street. Demolishing Factories "The bombs can frequently demolish large sections of a factory and its machinery before blowing up in the centre of'the factory. It is a good show when that happens, particularly if the pilot uses his machine-guns when coming in at almost ground level for the attack." Several modifications have been made for the Hurribomber. The fins of the bombs, of which two are carried externally by the Hurricane, had to be strengthened, because the normal metal litis crumbled under the heavy air pressure which the Hurricane's speed created. ~ Al The Canadians say that they can take off for a sweep within half an hour of receiving a brief from the Fighter Command.