AERONAUTICAL SALON

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23690, 23 December 1938, Page 6

AERONAUTICAL SALON

BRITAIN’S AIRCRAFT ON VIEW TWO FIGHTER MONOPLANES (From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail) LONDON, Nov. 24. Britain was well represented at the sixteenth Paris International Aeronautical Salon. Eight manufacturers of aircraft and aero engines exhibited, and 15 firms which make instruments, airscrews, and accessory components. The Air Ministry for the first time at the Paris ! Salon illustrated the equipment and work of the Royal Air Force. Two British multi-gun fighter monoplanes—Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire—and the latest version of the world’s fastest bomber were on view. The bomber js the new “ long nose ” twin-engined Bristol Blenheim, with a more commodious forepart to the fuselage and powered with engines adapted to burn “ 100 octane ’’ fuel at take-off and during the initial stages of climb. This fuel does not detonate in the cylinders under high compression. It augments the take-off power of the Mercury VIII radial engines of the Blenheim from 725 h.p. to 920 h.p. each. The load which may be lifted is thereby considerably increased. The new Blenheim carries the same bomb load as the original model, over a considerably longer distance nonstop. In still air its attainable range is 1900 miles. The maximum speed is also increased to a conservative official figure of 295 m.p.h. EIGHT MACHINE GUNS

Each of the two single-seat fighters is armed with eight machine guns, mounted in the wings. Each is in large production for fighter squadrons of the Metropolitan Air Force. Aircraft such as the Hurricane and the Spitfire will be called upon to destroy the raider. They are endowed with high speed for successful pursuit, heavy armament for maximum effect during the few seconds of contact that onlv are feasible at modern air fighting speeds, and ability to climb rapidly to great heights. The official maximum speed of-the Hurricane (which flew from Edinburgh to London by night at speed subsequently revealed by the oilot as 456 m.p.h.) is 535 m.p.h. Its service “ ceiling ” (the level at which the rate of climb has fallen to 100 feet a minute) is 38,000 feet.

The Spitfire is even faster. Its maximum speed is stated officially to be “ more than 350 m.p.h.” It is in large production at the Supermarine factory. Southampton, and Lord Nuffield has been given an order to construct a thousand in his new factory at Birmingham. In contrast to the warplanes, the Phillips and Pqwis company showed a Miles Monarch light tourer monoplane. a shapely craft for two which has attracted many buyers in this country and abroad.