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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0608.PDF
FLIGHT, JUNE 24, 1932 THE AIRCRAFT OF THE R.A.F. THE FLEET AIR ARM-(Continued) FLEET TORPEDO BOMBERS SEVEN flights in the Fleet Air Arm are known as Fleet Torpedo Bomber Flights. Two of them, both on H.M.S. Courageous, are equipped with the Blackburn " Dart," and the other five have the Blackburn " Ripon." In both these types the engine is the Napier " Lion." The " Ripon " is the more modern of the two types, though both have been in use for a number of years. Why all the flights have not been given the " Ripon " is not very easy to understand, though possibly economy may have had something to do with the retention of the older type by two flights. The " Dart " is easily recognised when in flight by what may be called the crick in its neck. The engine is dropped down below the level of the rest of the fuselage, in order to give the pilot a clear view downwards and forwards when landing on a deck, and also when aiming his machine at an enemy ship before releasing the torpedo. Different design has obviated this feature in the case of the " Ripon." The torpedo is carried between the two wheels of the undercarriage, which is therefore of the split variety. Bomb racks are also provided, as the machines have to use both types of missile. Bombs are not likely to be carried at the same time as torpedoes, as the latter are heavy enough, and when DART RIPON the time comes to use torpedoes all energies must be concentrated on that object. But it is a great convenience that the same type of machine should be able to carry both types and that the same flights should be practised in the use of both. In all probability attacks with bombs and torpedoes will often be made simulta neously, the bombers coming over first, at a great height, so as to distract the attention of the ship's defences from the torpedo-planes. In many cases, however, a pure bombing attack will be possible when the occasion would not be suitable for the use of torpedoes. Bombing has improved in accuracy very much of recent years, and bomb sights are now very much better instruments than they were in the last years of the war. Practice bombing carried out against old warships, which are empty and controlled by wire less, have recently shown some remarkably accurate results. Until the matter is actually tested out in war (a test which no one wants to witness) it is impossible to predict the exact effect which bombing will produce in naval war. The great thing is for the British Navy to be in possession of the best possible bombing aeroplanes and the best trained men. It most certainly has them. FLEET FIGHTER RECONNAISSANCE T HE excellent qualities of the Hawker two-seater known to the Air Defence of Great Britain as the " Hart." which was originally pro duced as a two-seater day bomber, persuaded the Fighting Area to go back to the idea of a two-seater fighter aeroplane. The Fleet Air Arm has also decided to use the same type as a two-seater fighter, and when used as a ship- plane the machine is named the " Osprey." It varies in certain details from the bomber " Hart," the fighter " Hart," and the " Audax," having been adapted for the special conditions of work on a carrier. The engine is the same as in the other versions, namely, the Rolls Royce " Kestrel." The " Osprey," however, is not regarded purely as a fighter. It is to be a machine which can be used for fighting when necessary, but also for reconnais sance. One of the chief objects for which fighter aeroplanes exist is to destroy the enemy's recon naissance machines, so that they shall not be able to report what they have observed. If they can be destroyed before they have observed anything, so much the better. If they have taken photographs, it becomes a matter of the utmost importance to shoot them down before the plates can be got to the OSPREY developing room. Photography is less important on sea than it is on land, as fleets are not so stable as trench lines. In any case, reconnaissance machines must always expect to be attacked by any enemy fighters which may see them. It is not always possible to arrange that each machine which is sent out to reconnoitre shall have an escort of friendly fighters. Therefore it is a great advantage if the scout machine (using the word " scout " in its true sense) is able to defend itself with a good chance of success. In the Great War, the reconnaissance aeroplanes were seldom able to put up any sort of effective defence against enemy fighters, and the number of B.E.2.C. and R.E.8 machines which were shot down by German fighters made melancholy reading. Chivalrous air fighters found the destruction of observation machines so easy that it became distasteful to them, and they had to force themselves to do an unpleasant duty. The " Osprey " has the double qualities of being able to scout and also to fight. Its speed is such that few enemy aircraft would be able to get the better of it in a race, and in a fight it ought to be able to hold its own against most assailants. It has been decided to equip No. 420 flight with the " Osprey." 560
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