AIR DEFENCE OF SINGAPORE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22259, 11 May 1934, Page 11

AIR DEFENCE OF SINGAPORE

TECHNIQUE OF DIVING BOMBING (Fboji Ova Own a Cobuespondent.) LONDON. March 2D. Increase of Royal Air Force strength at Singapore forms an essential part of plans for the equipment of the new naval base which, when completed, will be the world's most formidable. stronghold, protected by the heaviest artillery ever assembled in quantity at one point. The local air strength consists for the present in two torpedo bomber squadrons and one squadron of flying boats. One of. the torpedo plane units flies Hawker "Horsley" craft, the other the newer Vickers "Vildebeest" machines. The flying boats are Supermarine " Southampton " biplanes, craft which are now obsolescent, though still capable of useful work on patrol. Not yet is the ultimate air strength at Singapore determined, but it may amount to at least six squadrons, perhaps more. One qew unit which is likely to go there is the additional flying boat squadron for which provision ie made in the Air Estimates for 1934-35. This unit, though it will be formed in home waters, is intended for duties overseas. Singapore is expected to be its destination. There is interest in the choice ot aircraft indicated in the present equipment of the baee. Flying boats for long-dis-stance reconnaissance; torpedoplanes for attack on enemy warships while they are still some hundreds of miles away. Ot the gravity of the threat of the airlaunched torpedo to surface shipping there can be no doubt. Naval manoeuvres of the past few years have established it. For example, no fewer than six hits were recorded during an attack by a torpedoplane squadron on one of Britain's greatest warships; the e&ect had the torpedoes been fitted with their war-heads instead of dummies can be easily realised. For defence the surface vessel has extremely efficient gun armament, though it has yet to be proved in the difficult conditions imposed by torpedoplane attack in the midst of a big sea action, when the firing of the ships broadsides and attention on other enemies might affect aim at the oncoming torpedo bombers. DIVING BOMBING. There is another, and perhaps even more effective, form of aerial attack on the surface ship. Diving bombing brings the assailant down almost vertically ma few seconds from a height of 12,000 feet or more to, say. 3000 feet at much height the missile—a bomb of 200 or 500 pounds weight-is dropped. The accuracy of this method of aiming is amazing; its results certain to be devastat- . in" And significance may not unjustly be" attached to the recent appointment to headquarters at Singapore of the har i East Command, R.A.F., of Squadron- ! leader R. A. George, formerly in command of No. 33 Squadron of the Home Defence Force, who has been engaged tor ! the past two years in developing the new '■■ technique of diving bombing. ! This method of bomb-launching is intended primarily for attack on naval vessels. The aeroplanes approach at a great height and dive at speeds ot 300 mile« an hour or more towards their target * At the bottom of the dive they begin, with the help of the energy stored in the drop, a rapid climb back to a sate height. The whole operation lasts only I a few seconds; the task it imposes on the ship's gunners is onerous indeed.