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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 0929.PDF
APRIL 30TH, 4 1942 F LI G HI w An Italian dive-bomber, the Savoia-Marchetti SM 85, with two Piaggio engines. the defences at Brest in attempts to destroy the Scharnhorst and1 Gneisenau. More than courage was demanded of the pilots of the Sword- fish torpedo bombers sent out forlornly against these vessels and their escort in the Channel. As Sir Roger Keyes * *ated in the House of Commons, They had no chance of returning," yet we do not suggest the torpedo bomber, as a type, is of no particular use and is not required. Is the dive- bornber so markedly more vulnerable than a torpedo bomber ? According to reported practice, the torpedo is dropped from an altitude of from 25ft. to 100ft. at a range of about 1,000 yards, although this distance may be considerably increased. Air craft speed is about 100 to 120 miles an hour. The dive-bomber has more freedom to manoeuvre in approach, and can make effective use of any cloud cover. The run-in to the target may be at 10,000-15,oooft., spiralling down to 4,000-5,oooft. 10r observation and to get into position. A turn of 30 deg. to 40 deg. is taken for final direction, and the dive is then made at some angle, say, 70 deg., at a speed which will now, probably, be in excess of the 240 miles an hour which was employed by the old German Ju 87 machines. A modern machine should be capable of diving at a speed of at least 350 miles an hour. t Escape Technique Usually the bomb or bombs will be released at about 1,500ft., as most of this height will be required to pull out of the dive. In this manoeuvre, it must be remembered, the machine passes right over the target. Usually the escape is made by a turn and what is euphoniously termed '' avoiding action." During the approach and the escape, suitable tactics make the dive-bomber a difficult target for anti aircraft fire. When getting into posi tion preparatory to the dive, speed is reduced, and this disconcerts the artillery. During the pull-out, eleva tion is continuously changing, and the time element iz short (two to three seconds). Only on the dive does the machine offe; a reasonable target, and then onl) if suitable fragmentation or shrapnel shells are employed. In any case, the dive will only occupy a period of, say, six to seven seconds. In all probability, modern machines on a carefully worked out technique will improve these published figures. Bombing is a development of artillery. The missile is transported and dropped on the target instead of being thrown at the target by a gun. It is a first pre-requisite that the mis sile, whatever its character, shall hit the target. High-altitude bombing has been developed to an art, but so many variables are encountered that, despite meticulous training of the aimer and the most ingenious sighting devices, it remains largely a hazard. Even for a stationary target there are the relative ground speed, altitude and angle of approach of the aircraft; the speed, direction and gustiness of the relative wind about the aircraft; speed and direction of possibly different wind strata at lower altitudes; pos sible rising or falling air currents ; the release, initial unstable flight and eventual trajectory of the bomb to be allowed for. Precision Bombing Errors are possible in the co ordination between aimer and pilot, and in the observation, estimation and calculation of the variables. In the case of lower winds or air currents these may not even be observable. When the target is small, mobile and rapidly manoeuvrable, as a warship in open sea, some idea of the difficulty of securing a direct hit can be imagined. Early in the war the French published a table of probable bombing errors for horizontal launching at stationary tar gets from various altitudes and at various speeds. It may bo assumed that the technique has since been im proved, but merely to quote one in stance gives an indication of the diffi culty. For a bomb released from a height of 16,400ft. at an aircraft speed of 155 m.p.h., possible errors are expected of 246 yards in direction r id 268 yards for range. Low-altitude bombing will reduce the number and the magnitude of the variables, but expose the aircraft to defensive fire and deliver the bomb at a relatively low velocity. Diving tac tics seek to obtain the advantages and reduce the disadvantages of low-alti tude bombing. The bomb is virtually delivered on the target and by diving at high speed the bomb is launched at an initial velocity which compensates to some extent for the lack of altitude. In the recent past it was considered satisfactory to arrange for a diving speed which', in effect, would yield a bomb velocity at the target equivalent to a drop from 4,000 to 5,000ft. Modern machines and specially trained crews can undoubtedly improve on such figures. American machines are claimed to have been dived at over 600 m.p h. In any case, the dive- bomber cannot be condemned solely on account of the lower velocity of the bomb. The cardinal virtue is its ability to deliver the bomb more accur ately, and the most effective armour- piercing bomb is completely wasted it it misses the target. Bomb versus Armour It is the old naval problem of shell versus armour. VVher the Navy had guns of adequate range and accuracy but could not pierce the armour plat ing, it did not cry out that the gun was obsolete and not wanted. It im proved the gun to increase muzzle velocity and d veloped special armour- piercing shells ri-til the armourers were forced to invent improved pro tective plating. Furthermore, a seil- propelling missile, the torpedo, was carefullly brought into practical use for special duties. In the air a similar persistency and adaptability is re quired. Better machines and better bombs must be developed to penetrate defensive equipment. If necessary the bomb velocity must be improved by rocket-type propellants or a genuine air-torpedo must be developed. In regard to the naval use of dive- bombers, Russian opinions are of in terest. The Soviet Air Fleet Newt,, dated January, 1041, had an article The German Junkers Ju 88 is complementary to the Ju 87 for dive-"bombing. engines are Jumo 211s in circular cowlings. The
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