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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0023.PDF
FLIGHT a — January 4, 1940 Thoroughly modernin conception, the Douglas DB-7 isbeing delivered to France equippedprimarily for bomb- ing, though it wouldmake a fine strate- gical reconnais-sance aircraft, ground attack ma-chine or fighter. MILITARY VERSATILITY Multi-purpose Machines of Several Nations : High Performance of New Twin-engined Types With comparative drawings to scale on page d) By H. F. KING ALTHOUGH there is a marked trend towardsspecialisation of military aircraft, there is one classwhich has the speed, manoeuvrability, range, ceil- ing, crew accommodation and armament possibilities to suit it for high-speed, short- and medium-range bomb- ing, ground attack, tactical and strategical reconnais- sance, fighting and, possibly, torpedo-dropping. This is the twin-engined, high-powered machine of 9,000- 15,000 lb. weight. In this country it is best represented by the Bristol Blenheim and Beaufort; in America by the new Martin, Douglas, North American and Stearman "attack bombers"; in France by the Potez, Breguet and Bloch multi-purpose machines; in Holland by the Fokker G.I; in Italy by the Breda 88 and Fiat CR 25; and in Germany by the Dornier Do 17, Do 215 and the Messerschmitt Me no. Some of the types men- tioned can be fitted with floats or skis, thus further extending their field of usefulness. In this war Blen- heims have already been employed for bombing, strategical reconnaissance and ground attack, or, more precisely, for the machine-gunning of moored flying boats.The war in Spain proved the value of small, fast bombers of the type under discussion, prompting the French General Armengaud to comment in the following terms : "A speed equal to that of the pursuit machine, or very near it, plenty of manoeuvrability, small size and especially axial arma- ment—these are the conditions for the protection of bombers against aerial and terrestrial weapons." Inci- dentally, the Spanish war also proved (if proof were needed) that the old French formula for multiplace de combat machines, i.e., heavy turret-mounted armament at the expense of performance, was at fault. After abandon- ing this formula the French developed fast twin-engined multi-purpose machines. In addition to these, they have ordered American Martin 167s and Douglas DB-7S which were designed, in accordance with the views of General Annengaud, for the U.S. Army Air Corps after the Ethiopian and Spanish wars had demonstrated the neces- sity for close support of ground forces by attacks on hostile rear areas. Discussing this type of aircraft, Brig.-Gen. Jacob Fickel, Commanding General, First Wing G.H.Q. Air Force, U.S. Army Air Corps, said: " Although of short range with full bomb load as compared with the heavy bombardment airplane, it has enough range to deliver heavy attacks from an altitude out of effective reach of small arms and machine guns, on hostile reserves, ammuni- tion and supply dumps, lines of communication, command posts, mechanised flanking forces and advanced flying fields." CHARACTERISTICS OF FOEEER G.I—a representative multi-purpose machine. Specification. All-up weight (lb.) Disposable load (Ib.) Crew Armament (7.9 in. mgs.) . . Ammunition (rounds) Bomb load (lb.) Top speed (m.p.h.) Range (miles) Ground Attack 10,582 3,240 2 9 4,582 496 295 416 Fighting 10,582 3,240 2 5 4,582 — 205 685 Dive- Bombing ",243 3,858 2 5 2,582 880 288 620 Light Bombing 11,905 4,5f>3 2 5 2,582 S80 293 930 ReconnaissanceBombing ",905 4,475 3 5 2,582 33O 293 1,056 SpecialisedStrategical Reconnaissance ",905 4.353 5 2,582 — 285 I M40
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