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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 0225.PDF
JANUARY 29TH, 1942 FLIGHT 89 E AIR ENEMY AIR LOSSES TO JAN. Jan. 18 , 19 „ 20 ,. 21 .. 22 „ 23 „ 24 Totals : Over G.B. 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 North Over Continent 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 5,618 ; Middle Far East, 105 Middle East 0 1 0 0 4 0 4 9 24th. Far East 4 II 9 13 6 22 10 75 East, over 3,445 ; The publication of the news that Mr. Churchill went to America in the new battleship Duke of York carries implications with it. The Prime Minister is the last man to use a battleship for his convenience if it jX£rf needed for serious work else- ** i, and the suggestion is that other capital ships are available for use in the Pacific to replace the Prince of Wales and Repulse. Naturally they cannot arrive there with the speed of a Boeing bomber, but we may hope for some stirring news before long. We think it may also be taken for granted that our Far East Fleet will not again sally forth without sufficient air protection. H.M.S. Illustrious was in an American Pacific port not so long ago, and was commissioned with Lord Louis Mount- batten as her Captain. Perhaps we may soon hear something about her. Two Attacks on Axis Convoys "DECENT news tells of two notable ^ attacks by air and sua forces on Axis convoys, both of them big and important convoys. One action took place in the Strait of Macassar be tween Borneo and Celebes, and raged for two days. Dutch and American aircraft both took part in it, and -American naval forces joined in. It is highly satisfactory to see the U.S. Navy in action after hearing nothing about it for so long. At least three Japanese ships were sunk, four probably sunk, and 12 (including a destroyer hit by a bomb) damaged. The 'eight ships bombed in the first part of the action were all left burn ing. In addition five Japanese fighters were shot down by Fortresses and BRITISH AIR LOSSES TO JAN. 24th. Over G.B. A'crft. Jan. 18 0 „ 19 0 , 20 0 „ 21 0 . 22 0 „ 23 0 „ 24 0 0 Totals : Nor Over Continent B'brs. Ftrs. 0 0 0 0 4 0 6 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 *, 3,182; M Middle Far East East A'crft. A'crft. 0 1 (P'It safe) 1 5 1 7 (2 p'Its safe 0 0 1 2 3 3 0 8 16 iddle East, about 908 ; Far East, 16. RUSSIA'S LATEST : New photographs have arrived of the Russian twin-engined bomber which is known as the P.E.2. It is shown here taking off from a snow- covered airfield. Flaps are lowered about 30 degrees. two more by Dutch aircraft, while a further two fell to ground fire. The Japanese freedom to sail where and when they liked in the Pacific is evi dently being vigorously disputed at last. The other convoy fight was in the Central Mediterranean south of the Ionian Sea. It was such an important convoy that • its escort consisted of a battleship, four cruisers and 15 de stroyers, and one of the ships con voyed was a big liner of 20,000 tons, probably carrying troops as well as war equipment for Rommel. The first attack, on January 23rd, was made by R.A.F. bombers and torpedo-aircraft, and it may be noted that this is the first mention of the R.A.F. Middle East having torpedo-aircraft (Beau- forts, no doubt) at its command. Hitherto the air torpedo has been in the Mediterranean the speciality of naval aircraft, some of which work from shore bases. The first attack was made on the battleship, doubtless an Italian vessel, but she took evasive action, and it does not seem certain that any of the bombs found their mark. When night fell, naval T.S.R.s took up the attack, concentrating their attention on the big liner. They certainly got home with one torpedo at least on the liner, while another hit the stern of a destroyer. Then the R.A.F. came on again and did more damage, and then naval aircraft once more. It is thought that one of the cruisers was hit by a bomb, while the big liner was heavily damaged. Next morning the convoy was seen steam-, ing slowly eastward (which was not th« direction that would take it to Tripoli) and there was no sign of the big liner. To say that she was "probably" sunk seems a cautious way of putting things. In Cyrenaica, Rommel has reinforced and is trying to hit back in an eastward direction. Evidently it has proved impossible for the R.A.F. to prevent reinforcements and supplies from reaching him, despite the strenuous efforts of our squadrons very been MERLIN ENGINES IN U.S.A. Two-piece Cylinder Block Adopted CPECIMENS of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine now in large scale production ^ at the Packard works in America have reached this country and are highly appraised. It will be remembered that a contract was placed for 9,000 engines, two-thirds of which are for British aircraft and one-third for the U.S. Air Corps. The engine under construction is the Merlin type XX 27-litre engine and is of similar design to the British equivalent in production in various factories in this country with one important additional feature, i.e., the cylinder heads are detachable and known as the two-piece cylinder block. This form of construction had been proved satisfactory by the Rolls-Royce Company and would have been adopted by them some two years or more ago had it not been for the fact that to introduce an important modification of this type would have delayed the attainment of maximum production. As however the Packard Company were, so to speak, starting de novo on Merlin production, the Rolls- Royce Company decided that it would be better for them to adopt this modified form of cylinder design. Resident engineers from Rolls-Royce works in England have been collaborating with the Packard factory from the outset.
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