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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0724.PDF
222 MARCH 14, 1940 ALTHOUGH the bombing aeroplane is frequently A\ likened to a long-range piece of artillery, it must •^ ^- be borne in mind that a big shell, once it leaves the muzzle of a truly laid gun, is impersonal, invulner- able, irrevocable, and inevitable, whereas the bomber is guided by human brains and hands, can be destroyed, recalled, or redirected, and is dependent for success on weather, the preparedness and efficiency of enemy BOMBERS including Multi-Purpose Aircraft Suitable for Reconnaissance and Ground Attack : Dive Bombing defences, and eventually—no matter how well navigated— on the skill of the bomb-aimer. An efficient bomber must be able to attain, attack, and return from its target with a minimum of delay and conse- quently of risk. Speed, defensive fire power, and manoeuvrability are desiderata, though their attainment must not be permitted to affect unduly the efficiency of a machine as a bomb carrier. The further development of specialised fighters for escort work may enable the bomber's defensive armament to be reduced or, in certain cases, omitted altogether, with a consequent gain in speed, though it must be remembered that it is not always pos- sible, particularly at night, for aircraft to operate in com- pany. The ideal of the tremendously fast unarmed bomber which will depend for protection entirely upon its speed remains a designer's dream, though the next few years may see it an accomplished fact. A Questionable Doctrine There are many knowledgeable strategists who contend that all bombers should be comparatively small, manoeuvrable machines armed with fixed or axially restricted guns. The protagonists of this doctrine cite examples from the Spanish civil war. In particular, the French General Armengaud writes: '' The fire of bombers outside the axial plane is almost impossible with the present speeds of aircraft, and it cannot, in any case, be accurate. A speed equal to that of the pursuit machine, or very near it, plenty of manoeuvrability, small size, and especially axial armament—these are the con- ditions for the pro- tection of bombers against aerial and terrestial weapons. The General refers to the "insufficient protection '' of the big Savoia, Caproni, and Junkers bombers, and cites as proof of his argu- ment the success of the smaller and faster Russian Kati- ouska and the Ger- man Dornier Do 17. It may, or may not, be significant that he refrains from mentioning the Fiat B.R.20, which, although larger than the Do 17, is as fast as the ver- o f that s 1 o n The StearmanX-100, or XA-21, a goodexample of what the Americans term an"attack bomber." This machine corres-ponds to the European formula for fasttwin-engined bombers.
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