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Aviation History
1938
1938 - 2314.PDF
136 FLIGHT. AUGUST 18, 1938. to the bomb of a modern Guy Fawkes, but if the Air Ministry were to vanish in the holocaust, well, we might have to sue for peace straightaway. So there is something to be said for dispersing that Ministry about London. Berlin = New York = Berlin G ERMAN aviation has scored a fine success with the two non-stop flights from Berlin to New York and New York to Berlin. Not only have both flights been of the nature of "records" for the distance, but what is significant is that the return flight was success fully undertaken almost at once, proving that the amount of engine and other overhaul needed to make the machine fit for a second attack on the 4,000 miles' distance was negligible. That is significant because but a -Very few years ago there was a general feeling about that Germany had not progressed quite so far with her engine manu facture as she had with aircraft. It was, in fact, said that the Hornet engines manufactured under licence by the B.M.W. firm were not up to the standards set by the original Pratt and Whitney engines. The double cross-, ing of the Atlantic within a few days seems to prove that whatever may have been the position a few years ago, the German-built product is now as reliable as the American original. The flights themselves, regarded purely as long-dis tance transoceanic crossings, were meritorious for the excellent navigation which at no time placed the machine more than a very few miles off its prescribed course, and Herren Henke, von Moreau, Dierberg and Kober are to be congratulated on a very fine piece of work. So far it is not clear to what extent they were helped by the British radio stations at Newfoundland and Foynes, if at all, but they were in touch with shipping and with.Germany most of the time, so that in any event wireless has once more proved itself the handmaiden of long-distance flying. Without it such flights would have remained the hazard ous undertakings they were in the days of the Atlantic flights of Alcock and Hawker. With it they become reasonably safe. There is a tendency in some quarters to compare these German flights with the recent flight of Mercury, -to the disadvantage of the latter. That is rather misleading because although the German machine covered greater . distances non-stop, it carried no pay load, whereas the British seaplane carried 1,000 lb. With engines of much lower powej Mercury has a still-air range of 3,500 miles when carrying this' pay load. If filled up with petrol it would have about the same range as Brandenburg. Lessons from Spain I T is a doubtful point whether the fighting in Spain can be taken as providing lessons which will be useful in future wars between European nations. The use of air craft in various ways has, however, been carried out with fair thoroughness, and hints, at least, as to their effective ness in various roles have been given. In the August issue of the Journal of the Royal United Service Institution, a French officer, Capitaine Didier Poulain, who has been present with the Nationalist forces, has given some conclusions drawn from his own observa tions. His main points are: (1) That the bomber is prac tically defenceless against the single-seater fighter ; (2) that anti-aircraft gunfire is surprisingly effective ; (3) that in cendiary bombs (small ones, at any rate) are a failure ; and (4) that aircraft used as artillery for attacking positions are very efficacious. He also admitted the failure of aircraft to terrorise a civil population into evacuating a town, but qualified this by saying that Franco had never launched intensive bombardments against civil populations. Some of these conclusions deserved consideration. One cannot deny the force of Capt. Paulain's contention that formation is now very little protection to bombers, because at modern speeds the deflection of bullets makes protective cross-fire really useless. Some of the other con clusions are rather; surprising. Summed up, they go to indicate that the air arm as an independent weapon has not come up to expectations, but as a branch of the Army it is of very great importance. If that be accepted, it , would seriously modify our ideas on the air menace to this country. A Profit and Loss Account I F fighters and guns, severally and in unison, have taken the measure of the bomber, then our air defence pre parations have good hope of safeguarding our cities. Against this, we have always claimed that the main factor in our air defence is the counter-attack by our own bombers. If they, too, are mastered by the fighters and guns of the enemy, are we or are we not deprived of the major portion of our air defence? . The answer would seem to be this: The possibility of air invasion has reduced the safety of Great Britain. When there were no aeroplanes, the Royal Navy allowed the citizens to sleep soundly in their beds at night. Therefore, it must be to the advantage of Great Britain that aircraft as a striking force should be proved ineffective. We may make ourselves the strongest air power, but even so we shall be more vulnerable than if aircraft could be totally neutralised. As the whole is greater than its part, so we score by any indication that air defence is more effective than air attack. We may accept with equanimity the pros pect of our own bombers failing to achieve their ambitions if we can, by means of our fighters and guns, substantially defeat the bomber force of the enemy. If the fighting in Spain has proved the superiority of air defence, our minds are relieved to that extent; but Spain is not Great Britain, and circumstances (weather, foi example) cannot be identical. Only the event can deci sively answer the question, and we all hope that it will never be answered in that way. Twin=engined Fighters F OR a great many years the single-engined, single- seater fighter has held undisputed sway, not only in this country but in the majority of others. Signs are not lacking that show a tendency if not to supplant the single-engined at least to supplement it with twin-engined types, manned by more than the pilot. The obvious '' next step " is to think in terms of the twin-engined machine rendered familiar by a long series of bombers, light and heavy, with the engines on the leading edge of the wings. A French designer; M. Albert, suggests that better results might be obtained by placing the engines in tandem, and to make possible the use of a fixed rear gun he divides the tail of the aircraft into two complete units, each carried on a very slender fuselage. This leaves a gap through which the rear gun can fire. The idea has its points. Wind-tunnel tests would probably be necessary before one could say definitely which would have the lower drag, the orthodox twin-engined type or the tandem-engined twin-tail. The latter would appear to be immediately pos sible for engines arranged for canon, without any "faking," but how effective use could be made of a fixed rear gun, sighted by the machine " turning tail on its opponent, is a matter for discussion. Forthcoming Events August 20. Eastbourne Flying Club: Garden Party and Opening of New Club-house. August 27-28. Southend Flying Club; Flying Meeting and Race. September 3-5. U.S. National Air Races, Cleveland. September 10. Cardiff Aeroplane Club: London-Cardiff Race. September II. Gordon Bennett Balloon Race, Belgium. September 11-18. Swedish Civil Aviation Week. September 19. Opening of West Hartlepool Airport by Secretary of State for Air. September 21. Aero Golfing Society: Ccllon Trophy, Richmond Golf Club. November 18-December 4. Paris Aero Show, with Air Transport Congress.
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