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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 0748.PDF
MARCH 14, 1940 FIGHTER Type (1) Intercepter, or Localdefence Fighter. (2) Local Patrol Fighter (3) Dog-fighter or FrontLine Fighter. (4) Pursuit, or Home-defence Fighter. (5) Escort Fighter DutiesFor intercepting at short notice enemy aircraftthreatening local centres. Constant patrol of vitalareas. (1) For attacking enemyshort range fighters. (2) For attacking enemyshort-range observation machines, bombers andreconnaissance aircraft which the former arelikely to be protecting. (1) For flying out to meetenemy long-range bom- bers, reconnaissancemachines and long- range escort fighters.(2) For pursuing the above machines on their home-ward journey. For protecting long-rangebombers and reconnais- sance aircraft againstattacks by enemy fighters. Special Qualities Rapid climb. Economy. Manoeuvrability at height. Longer endurance thanTypes 1, 2 and 8 and possibly heavier arma-ment. (1) Long range. (2) Sufficient manoeuvrebib'ty to engage enemv fighters or turreteiiarmament. Although the great majority of "general-purpose" fighters are single-seater, single-engined types, there are single-seaters with two engines; two-seaters with one engine; and two-seaters with two engines. In addition there are a few larger and heavier multi-seaters which are not suitable for interception work or for tackling manoeuvrable enemy short-range fighters; though they may possess desirable qualities under headings (4) and/or (5) Here a word of caution will not be out of place: it is dangerously easy to identify "single-seater" and "single- engined '' and to think of twin-engined fighters always as having two or more seats. Layouts and Duties It cannot be over-emphasised that the number of engines fitted is not necessarily an indication of a fighter's duties There is a prevalent impression that a twin-engined fighter is automatically a long-range machine carrying a crew of two or more, whereas in fact it may be a single-seater with less endurance than a machine with only one power plant Nor is the number of seats a much more positive clue, for although a single-seater is patently unsuitable for convoy work over very long distances, a multi-seater, on the other hand, might be employed for short-range defensive duties In view of the prevalence of general-purpose types fighters can, for the purpose of this discussion, be categor- ised according to the number of seats and not as to function. On this and the next page is a selection ot single-seaterfighters. Design varies very considerably even considering that some of the machines are older than others. From topto bottom on this page are the Curtiss P-40 (U.S.A.); Morane M.S.406 (France) ; Fiat G.50 (Italy) ; ZKB-10 (Russia);Fokker D.21 (Holland) ; Koolhoven F.K.58 (Holland) ; and Koolhoven F.K.55 (Holland). Below are the Brewster F2A-1(U.S.A.) and the Dewoitine D.520 CFrance)
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