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Aviation History
1939
1939 - 0025.PDF
JANUARY 5, 1939 FLIGHT. SERVICE AVIATION CONTINUED FOREIGN SERVICE NEWS Dive Bombers WHEN monoplanes came into vogue lor military and naval use it was frequently argued that it would mean the end of dive bombing because of the tremendous speeds which would be attained and the stresses on the pilot and engine. Actually, interest in the naval dive bomber is now at a higher pitch than ever before. The Blackburn Skua with Bristol Perseus engine is in large-scale production for our own Fleet Air Arm, and it has been reported that the first squadron will be supplied to the new carrier Ark Royal. America already has in service large numbers of Vought (SBU-i) biplanes capable of handling a single 500-lb. bomb carried under the fuselage, which is fitted with the appropriate bomb-dis placement gear. Useful numbers of Vought SB2U-1S have also been delivered. The e are low-wing monoplanes and will carry either one 1,000-lb bomb, two 500-lb. bombs or four 116-lb. bombs. They are similar to the V-156 model exhibited at the Paris Show and in which the French Air Ministry is said to be interested. Over and above these there are the Curtiss biplanes (Series SBC-3 and SBC-4) Particulars have been made available of the Hell- diver 77, which is really the export version of the SBC-4 and which, when fitted with a Wright Cyclone of 840 h.p., has the following performance, top speed, 235 m.p.h.; stalling speed, 64 m.p.h.; Service ceiling, 23,700ft,; range, 610 miles; gross weight, 5,710 lb. Finally, there are the Douglas (late Northrop) monoplanes of the BT-i type, which are generally similar to the attack machines used by the U.S Army Air Corps, and, except for the retractable under carriage and a few other features, to the Northrop acquired by the Bristol Companv for flight-testing the Hercules engine. It seems that the Americans do not use their flaps to retard their speed in a bombing dive as will the Skua pilots, though it is known that the Hamilton and Curtiss concerns have 'been developing reversible-pitch airscrews on behalf of the American Navy. France has some antique-looking Gourdou-Leseurre single-seater parasol monoplanes for dive-bombing duties and will shortly take delivery of a quantity of Loire-Nieuport (S.N.C.A.O.) 40 monoplanes. These have " inverted gull " wings, carry only the pilot and are fitted with Hispano Suiza Series X engines embodying a shell-gun. Twiri'engined Fighters in France IN view of the increasing interest in twin-engined fighters evident in this country, an outline of what is happening in France may be of interest. In the first place, the Potez 63 and Breguet 690 types, both of which have been ordered in quantity by the French Air Ministry and various foreign Governments, are not regarded essentially as fighters as is the Hanriot 220. The Potez has been adopted by the French Air Ministry for C.3 (three-seater fighter) and A.3 (three seater attack) missions, whereas the Breguet will function in tne A.B.2 (two-seater attack bomber) and B.2 (two- seater bomber) categories. In practice, the C.3 machines will be used as " fighter-command " types and for the escort of heavy bombers The Breguet, in particular, has been very carefully studied with a view to rapid interchange of equipment and armament for its various duties. For example, as a *. bomber the central portion of the fuselage is occupied by a container for eight bombs of no lb. each. These are stowed vertically if the forward armament comprises two fixed shell-guns (two-seater bomber mission) and hori zontally if one shell-gun and two machine guns are fitted (two seater attack bomber). Further, it is possible to arrange the central structure to carry racks for two 440-lb. bombs. Fitted with two Hispano Suiza 14 Ab small-diameter radials, the Breguet is capable of about 300 m.p.h., being a shade faster than the Potez, though it is said that the latter machine is now being developed so that with its present power plant (small-diameter Gnome Rhones or Hispanos) it will be good for 340 ra.p.h. This suggests a reduction in wing area. In its present U>rm the Hanriot differs very considerably from the prototype shown at Paris two years ago. The engines are of the Gnome Rhone 14 M type, and, apart from a revision of the accom modation, the tail has been redesigned. It is said that the armament now comprises three shell-guns and two machine guns. Figures are: speed at 19,650ft., more than 313 m.p.h.; climb to 26,240ft., less than 14 min.; range, 525 miles; minimum flying speed, 81 m.p.h.; all-up weight, 3,157 lb- (day fighter), 8,439 (long-range day fighter), S.355 (night fighter). Two othei prototypes were built to the same programme (1934): these are the Loire Nieuport 20 and the Romano no. No orders for these machines will be placed. The Case for the Light Fighter AT the Paris Salon two years ago there was marked interest in what the French call I'avion de chasse ISger, or light single- seater fighter. This year the type was represented by the Caudron C.713, or Cyclone, though it is understood that other manu facturers are still proceeding with the formula. Specifically, the little Muxeaux is said to be under development in an improved form. The Caudron concern has made an exhaustive study of the pos sibilities of the light fighter as fitted with an engine of about 450 h.p. and claims for the type low initial cost, low fuel and oil consumption, improved outlook as compared with higher-powered aircraft, and a reduction in vulnerability due not only to a smaller projected area, but to the high ordei of manoeuvrability attained. It is considered by Caudron that wood is the best material for such a machine though it may be recalled that the little Mureaux was of stressed-skin construction. The top speed of the Cyclone is given as 295 m.p.h. at 13,100 ft., though at a shallow diving angle the machine, due to its aero dynamic cleanness (it is virtually a scaled-up Coupe Deutsch racer), soon attains 430 m.p.h. On test a pilot has actually dived the proto type Cyclone up to that speed, and after pulling out has executed three upward rolls, topning off the manoeuvre with an Immelmann turn The French pilots are said to call the machine " the Bugatti of fighters." The engine is a Renault 12-R0 iof 19 litres capacity, developing 450 h.p. at 2,500 r.p.m. at 11,800 ft. Despite its comparatively small size, the Cyclone carries two 20 mm. shell-guns, which project from fairings in the wing. Other data of interest are : time to climb to 13,100 ft., 9 min. 25 sec. (this, of course, is comparatively poor); landing speed, 72 m.p.h.; all-up weight, 3,670 lb. (the Hurricane weighs about 6,000 lb.); fuel consumption at full throttle, 118 kg./hr. One school of thought favours such machines not so much as fighters, but for ground-attack work, when their small size and general handiness would be particularly advantageous. The Italian Nardi concern has developed its F.N.305 light single-seater (260 h.p. Hirth engine) with a view to its functioning as an " assault " machine. The Nardi carries a fixed machine gun and 175 lb. of fragmentation bombs DESIGNED BY C A S T O L D I : The Italian Macchi C.200 single - seater fighter (840 h.p. two- row Fiat A.74 RC; which does rather more than 310 m.p.h. It will be seen that great efforts have been made to give the pilot a good view. The helmets on the cowling are unusual.
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