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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0027.PDF
January 4, 1940. FLIGHT c France has done more than any other country to develop small, fast, twin-engined machines adap- table for various duties. On the left is the Potez 63 arranged as a fighter. The housings for the twin 20 mm. Hispano shell-guns are discernible beneath the fuse- lage. Below is the agile little Breguet 691. If anti-aircraft bombs continue to gain favour the '' built-in '' stowage on machines of the class now under discussion will be a further great asset. For ground attack, speed and manoeuvrability at low altitude are primary requirements. Until recently this meant fitting engines rated at sea level or moderately supercharged, but the introduction of the two-speed blowers which are now being generally adopted on aircraft of all classes automatically ensures good sea-level performance. America has specialised in ground attack more than any other country and has come to the conclusion that the bomb is to be preferred to the machine gun for this work, which means that there is a close affinity between the ground attack aircraft and the light bomber. In fact, the only difference of any consequence is that the attack machine will probably be required to carry more and smaller bombs (or fairly large bombs with parachutes) as has already been demonstrated in the loadings of the Fokker G.I and the Breda 690. Adaptation for reconnaissance may entail more than the replacement of the bomb load by cameras. Good vision must be assured, which explains why in certain designs (e.g., Potez 63 and Fokker G.I) it is necessary to add a small external '' car'' for the observer. A second specialised version of the Potez is being used on the Western Front for reconnaissance, and has a transparent nose which renders the external car unnecessary. The Breda 88 is well supplied with windows in the lower portion of the fuselage. Our new Bristol Beaufort multi-purpose machine can be equipped for torpedo dropping (the projectile being intern- ally stowed), and it may be assumed that certain of the other machines already mentioned may also be arranged for this work, though it may not always be possible, due to the structural design, to provide internal stowage. The Beaufort, like the great majority of new machines in its class, has two engines of over 1,000 h.p. France appears to have given up trying to make less powerful machines do an equally useful job. The Potez 63 and Breguet 690 have a performance of the Blenheim order but do not carry anything like the disposable load. One ver- sion of the Breguet 690 has been fitted with two of the big Gnome Rhone radials of over 1,000 h.p. each in place (1) The North American NA-40 resembles in many respects the Douglas DB-7. The upper gun position follows Dormer Do 215 practice. (2) Less attractive in line than the other American " attackbombers" the Stearman X-100 displays some very practical features. It is said to be a good production job. (3) Of unorthodox layout, the Fokker G-i is extremely versa- tile. An external observation compartment is added for reconnaissance work. U) One cf the lowest powered machines in its category, the little Polish P.Z.L. Wilk (Wolf) could be used as a two-seater fighter or dive-bomber.
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