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Aviation History
1943
1943 - 1182.PDF
480 FLIGHT MAY OTH, Behind the Lines From France T^HE Chambre Syndicate des Industries-*- Aeronautiques and the Croupement d'Organisation Aeronantique (the latterof the " unoccupied " zone) have invited four leading firms, the Moraine-Saulnier,the Caudron-Renault, the S.N.C.A. du Sud-Est and the S.N.C.A. du Sud-Ouest, to submit designs for a trainer of not more than 75 h.p., of a robust con-struction, range of 370 miles and cruis- ing speed of 125 m.p.h. at 70 per cent.of power output. A condition of this competitive effort specifies a maximumworking time of 1,000 man-hours per aircraft (350 hours each for aircraft andengine) in the production of 10,000 machines! Copper AN order issued on April 4th by theReich Office for Iron and Metals regulates the employment of copperalloys in the industry. The use of such alloys was hitherto permitted only forwar essential purposes, and it appears now that a further shortage of copper isresponsible for the tightening up of the regulations. The main purpose of thenew order is to reduce further the number of copper alloys, to simplifystorage, and to introduce further savings in copper consumption. Incidentally, copper is one of the"soft spots" in the German armour. Even during the last war zinc often hadto replace copper. Germany's annual production before this war amounted toabout 30,000 tons, or only 12 per cent. of her domestic requirements. Neverthe-less, experts rightly predicted that she will be able "to hold on for some con-siderable time even after the exhaustion of her stocks, seeing that no re-exportswill take place in wartime, and if she ' makes good use of substitutes, institutesstrict economy, and uses up old material." A Reminder WHILE in the past official pro-paganda endeavoured to present to the outside world Germany's peacefulintentions, franker statements are now periodically published in the Nazi Press.In fact, one often finds responsible leaders of the industry openly boastingabout their foresight and military pre- parations at a time when the rest of theworld was hoping for a permanent peace. Dr. Carl Waninger, the technical directorof the well-known German armament concern, Rheinmetall-Borsig (makers ofvarious machine guns), made the follow- ing instructive statement at a lecture tothe Berlin Technical Literary Society: "In 1921 the development of new gunshad been started. At the request of the German navy a designing office wasestablished in Berlin. The office was, of course, camouflaged, ostensibly engagedin the development of railway waggons. Because of an anonymous report, arepresentative of the Inter-Allied Control Commission appeared in the office, buthis searches remained fruitless. However, it became necessary to transfer the design-ing office to Diisseldorf, where it was con- siderably increased right under the noseof the French occupational authorities. Service and Industrial News from the Inside of Axis and Enemy' occupied Countries "Subsequently, two experimentaloffices, one for the navy and one for the army, were established in an isolatedspace on an old shooting range in the Lueneburger Heide, employing differentcamouflage at different times. By 1925 the designing staff was twenty-five menstrong, and in the summer of that year the first factory producing artilleryequipment started to work quietly in Diisseldorf. "The first orders for artillery equip-ment were placed by the German navy, and as far back as 1927 a special design-ing office for army and air force weapons was established in Diisseldorf." Perhaps authoritative statements suchas this one ought to be borne in mind for post-war planning of the United Nations. A Luftwaffe Clinic A THERAPEUTICAL institute for air-men who have suffered spinal or brain injuries has been recently openedat the central Luftwaffe clinic at Berlin. The mail* principle adopted by the con-sultant specialist, Prof. Dr. Toennies, is to avoid inactivity of the convalescentpatients and to provide them right from the beginning of their recuperation withsome occupation which mobilises the whole body and mind. Workshops forwood, metal, paper, and pottery work, attached to the hospital, are used forthis purpose. It is said that hitherto 40 per cent,of the patients who have been given this occupational therapy were •released asfit either for air force service or for civilian occupations. Reorganised Japs '"PHE Japanese Naval Ministry an-•*• nounced that Prince Kuni has been appointed C.-iri-C. of the Naval AirForce. Prince Kuni is the elder brother of the Japanese Empress, and holds therank of an Admiral. This appointment marks a significantstep in the reorganisation of the service.' Hitherto the command of the Naval AirForce was split between the chiefs of the different fleets and the commanders ofcoastal stations. For tactical reasons, and to facilitate a uniform training, theunified command has now been created. The new chief is forty-three years old.and joined the navy in 1921. In Novem- ber, 1940, he was appointed to commanda unit of the Naval Air Force. Since March, 1942, he participated in opera-tions in the Philippine sector, and in April he is reported to have taken chargeof the operations against Port Darwin and in the Indian Ocean. In October,1943, he was recalled to Japan, and next month promoted to the rank of rear-admiral. Continental Rubber AS previously reported, the Germansare making careful studies of the remnants of rubber plantation found inthe occupied part of the.Ukraine. It wi]] be remembered that by 1939 about62,000 acres had been cultivated by the Soviet Government with the rubber-yielding Caucasian plant, kok-sagys.. According to German reports this plantspreads very quickly, and is also an excellent fertiliser. It is reported thatthe Germans are now attempting to re- construct a number of factories estab-lished by the Russians for the processing ul this rubber. Another plant called watotchnik canbe annually tapped, and is easily culti- vated in different parts of Eastern Europe.It is said to yield as much as 700 lb. per acre, but the quality is rather poor,showing only ten per cent, of resin. According to German reports, the de-velopment and cultivation of rubber- yielding plants in Eastern Europe liasbeen entrusted to a newly founded com- pany, the Osl-Gesellschajt fuer Pflanzen-Kautschuk mid Gultapercha G.m.b.H., of Berlin. Inside Information A GERMAN A.R.P. report gives someinteresting details of new types • of explosive incendiaries said to be usedby the R.A.F. According to this descrip- tion, one type weighing about 3^ lb. hasan electron housing with an explosive charge of 10 to 15 thermite "pills." Itsfinal velocity is said to .be about 390ft. per second, or 260 m.p.h., explodingabout five minutes after impact auti throwing up splinters half the size of amatch box. Timber work up to i|in. and sheet iron of 0.23m. thickness cannotstand up to the penetration power of these splinters. The second type mentioned is a 30-pounder phosphor bomb with a content of only 0.6G to 0.88 gallon, but capableof piercing through several floors on account of its steel container. Duringthis process, the report says, the contents of the bomb shoot out rearwards so thatsimultaneous fires can start on all floors. J"he final velocity of this type is givenas 820ft. per second. The first type is said to.be carried incontainers divided into three sections, each for thirty bombs. The whole lot canbe simultaneously released with a spray- ing effect of 390ft. to 490ft. in length and98ft. to 230ft. in width if dropped from an altitude of about 6,500ft. From thisthe conclusion is drawn that the number of incendiaries hitting an average sizeurban house would amount to no more than three to five. It is further calcu-lated that since, even in large cities, the built-up area hardly exceeds T5 to 25 percent., 80 per cent, of the- incendiaries re-leased in spraying would fall on thestreets, gardens, etc. Finally, a clumsy attempt is made toconsole the Germans : " Four-engined air- craft," the report concludes, "could beequipped to release twenty containers of ninety incendiaries each, but this wouldseldom be the case, since the enemv always carries a certain amount 01H.E.s."
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