GIANT AIRCRAFT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11578, 23 December 1915, Page 1

GIANT AIRCRAFT.

TO DECIDE IN THE WEST. GREAT RAIDS IMPENDING. STARTLING STORY FROM NEW YORK. By Telegraph—Press Associaiicn—Copyright, j (Received Decern bt r 23, 10 a.m.) YORK. December 22. Mr George Robinson, representative J for Curtis aeroplanes. who has arrived, states thai' a fleet of giant aircraft has beon built and is destined to decide the campaign in the ''.vest. Great Britain is developing nineteen types, ranging from scouts to battle-cruisers. Aerial equipment is growing at a. tremendous speed. A visiting aviation officer states that great raids are impending, which are expected to attain in a single stroke tho result of practically obliterating fortifications. As worked out, the details call for five hundred giant machines, each carrying 33001b of nitrocelulose, of terrilio destructive power. The aeroplanes. will bo divided into squadrons of twenty ' battle-cruisers, carrying boinbs and quickfirers, and will be preceded by two very fast scouts to give information .regarding convoy conditions ahead. Each squadron would | take the air at a prearranged signal, and, flying at the rate of .sixty miles per hour, would have five minutes' headway over ■ the ■ following squadron. The machines would,be spread out to form a line a mile and a quarter long. Upon reaching the fortified, places tho

fecouts would give a signal, The battlec raisers would maintain an elevation of three thousand feet, where they would he immuno from aircraft guns. Commanders estimate that not more than ten minutes would bo taken to fly over a place, and bombs would bo 'dropped at intervals of forty-five seconds froisteach succeeding squadron, of which- twenty-five -would bo employed, -'This nvsans that a total of seventeen thousand bombs would be dropped. A. number of scientific devices, he added,, had been developed, the chief of which was, a bomb-thrower. When raids on Krupp's and the Kiel Canal were made, tho new devices would show true work. »Fra.noo will share in the raids.