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Aviation History
1936
1936 - 0070.PDF
FLIGHT. JANUARY 9, 1936. Company, among others, has done a large amount of de velopment work with this class of aircraft. Douglas's entry in the U.S. competition is distinctly reminiscent of the D.C.2 commercial machine, and doubt less its structure contains numerous features common to both types. The fuselage differs considerably, however, having a " belly " somewhat similar to that of the Martin, which makes it a mid-wing monoplane. Two Wright or Pratt and Whitney radials are mounted, and the under carriage, which seems to be very similar to that of the D.C.2, retracts into their nacelles. Although the low- or mid-wing cantilever monoplane is by far the most strongly favoured type for use as a heavy bomber, some interesting bombers have been built with various other layouts. Outstanding among these is the Bellanca. A high-wing sesquiplane is, perhaps, the best description of this machine, the bracing struts being arranged as aerofoils. Fitted with two Wright Cyclone F- type radials giving 715 h.p. at 7,000 feet, this machine is capable of 190 m.p.h. It is possible to convert it into a seaplane—in which form it has been supplied to the Colombian Government—in an extremely short space of time ; on floats it does 175 m.p.h. The British Position In the eastern hemisphere some extraordinarily interest ing heavy bombers have recently made their appearance. No particulars are available for publication of the "big stuff" which is known to be on the stocks in more than one aircraft factory, but, judging from the obviously excel lent performances being shown by the new bomber-trans ports—even with their capacious fuselages—Great Britain will easily make up any ground she may have lost in the construction of big bombers within recent years. Until these new bombers reach the production stage R.A.F. squadrons will receive the Fairev Hend<an and the improved Handley-Page Heyford with speeds in the 150-160 m.p.h. neighbourhood. Lord Londonderry himself has stated in the House of Lords that the Air Ministry has placed a contract for delivery, not later than next February, of a new type of heavy bomber believed to be an advance on any comparable machine in service with foreign air forces. Because of the recommendation tabled by the British Government at Geneva in 1933, that the maximum permis sible unladen weight of military aircraft should be three tons, the design and development of very heavy bombers in this country was postponed. Lord Londonderry ex plained in his speech to the Lords, however, that the latest replacement type of heavy bomber would exceed that figure by nearly 100 per cent. This means that we may reason ably expect machines weighing, with full load, about 25,000 lb., or about 5,000 lb. more than the Fairey Hendon. Recent French bombers and B.C.R. machines (the latter type, which is often termed the nuiltiplace de combat, is capable of performing fighting, bombing and recon naissance duties) exhibit numerous uncommon features. They are among the ugliest machines in the air, and there is no denying that the later ones really look the " flying citadels " which they are claimed to be. Maximum speeds of current types range from 170 m.p.h. to 240 m.p.h. A crew of four or five is accommodstted and there are sheltered or turreted positions for at least three guns, in cluding in some cases a small-bore canon. Even with over load fuel the range of a typical French bomber is bv no means sensational; in fact, the majority of these machines are rather worse off in this respect than contemporary or even earlier British types. Five squadrons are already equipped with the Potez 540 B.C.R. machine which, with two 690 h.p. Hispano engines does about 190 m.p.h. ; twelve units have Bloch 200 bombers (twin Mistral Majors) and two further squadrons are equipped with the Amiot 143, which has similar engines. The Potez and the Bloch will carry 2,200 lb. of bombs for 620 miles, but the Amiot is capable of carry ing over 3,000 lb. of bombs for a similar range. It has been reported that the French Government has ordered a Half-a-dozen Frenchmen : (From top to bottom) The Farman F-221 (four 800 h.p. Mistral Majors) ; the Potez 54 with two engines of similar type ; the Bordelais A.B.80 with a pair of 860 h.p. Hispano Y's ; the new Breguet 460 (two 800 h.p. Mistral Majors) ; the Farman with the same engines, and the S.P.C.A. 30 M.4 (two 650 h.p. Lorraines). The last is considerably older than the other machines but is interesting because its tail is carried on two booms. fair-sized batch of four-engined Farmans with Gnome- Rhone Mistral Major engines. The type concerned is a strut-braced high-wing monoplane having a gross weight of approximately 40,000 lb. and a speed of 200 m.p.h. if a retractable undercarriage is specified. Civil versions of this type are under construction for Air France. Incident-
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