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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 0570.PDF
TRICYCLE ATTACK BOMBER A Legacy from the Armee de I'Air to the R.A.F. IN A CLIMB : A flying view of the Bostonshowing the undercarriage retracted and engine cooling gills extended. WE have to be very thankful for theimagination of the French when wesee the rows of Douglas Boston Us now in service in this country. The R.A.F., of all three Services, is the least likely to refuse a weapon on account of its originality, but even that great Service took an uncon- scionably long time to make up its mind to purchase monoplanes. Tricycle under- carriages might have proved an equal stumbling block. However, whether they would or would not is of no account now, since the type is already gracing the tarmacs of some of our aerodromes. It is a good-looking aeroplane, and the un- orthodox tail-up stance while at rest one soon gets used to. Doubtless its proportions have a great deal to do with this appearance of " Tightness"; the span is 6ift. 4m., the length 47ft., and the height 15ft. ioin. The normal crew carried is three—pilot, navi- gator and wireless operator/rear gunner. It is some- what of a snag that there is no communicating passage between the rear gunner and the remainder of the crew. DOUGLAS BOSTON BOMBER. General arrangement drawing. The pilot's and navigator's "offices" are equal to our Hampden in the matter of visibility and '' lightness,'' although the bomb-aimer's optical flat appears a trifle but this is brought about by the deep bomb bay which on the small side when compared with our standard occupies the central portion of the body to keep the practice. Ingress to the two front positions is eitheflj bomb load as close as possible to the centre of gravity, by the hinged cover over the pilot's cockpit or by an ingenious hinged trap-door in the floor of the bomb- aimer's compartment. Both of these doors have quick- release jettison arrangements in order that they can be used as escape hatches. Power and Wing Loadings Performance of the Boston II is not given officially by the Ministry of Aircraft Production, but when originally ordered by the French it was undoubtedly the fastest bomber extant. Various reports give it a top speed of 320 m.p.h. at 7,000ft., while a maximum speed as high as 350 m.p.h. has been mentioned in a number of places. Cruising speed is in the neighbourhood of 280 m.p.h., and cruising range is 1,500 miles in still air. The power plants are two Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp air-cooled radial engines, each giving 1,050 h.p at 2,700 r.p.m. for take-off and a cruising rating of POWER PLANT : The housings for the hydromatic airscrewand the reduction gear of the Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp * are clearly shown in this photograph. It also emphasises theunderslung position of the engine in relation to the main wing. ' Flight " photograph.
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