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Aviation History
1943
1943 - 1948.PDF
142 FLIGHT AUGUST 5TH, 1943 DEMOCRATIC DOCUMENT had to produce it, could not take up additional work, a new turret was designed for the Helldiver by Curtiss, which both the Committee and the Navy found unsatisfactory. In summing up the dive-bomber chapter the report says that the loss involved in these matters cannot be ascertained, although they seem to run into well over $100,000,000. " One of the most important losses is due to the psychological effect upon the workmen in the plant. In the main they have little to do and many have suspected that the war effort was being sabotaged because they did not realise that the inactivity was due to the inability of the company to produce a satisfactory plane and to obtain sufficient working personnel." Setting these allegations aside, the present position of the dive bomber appears to be as follows: The production for the Army of the Helldiver *nd the Vultee A-35 (Vengeance) will be considerably reduced. The Navy's dive-bomber programme calls for the production of many thousands of aircraft, a figure which is justified by including heavy allowances for attrition and training. The Committee believes that the Navy should re-examine its dive-bomber programme and make certain that it is not greater than that justified by the Navy's own interpre- tation o£ its technical value. Of the individual types, even allowing for improvements in the Helldiver production, the improved version of the well-proved Dauntless is likely to remain the mainstay of the Navy's equipment. A limited production of the Brewster SB2A, by the Brewster Aero- nautical Corporation, which has been taken over by Henry J. ' Kaiser, will continue only to allow for an orderly transfer to the production of the Brewster F-3A, a version of the Vought-Sikorsky F4U fighter, substantial numbers of which are expected. Flying Boats On the subject of flying boats, tremendous numbers of which have been contracted, the Committee hold that their furic^" tions are extremely limited because of their slowness and vulnerability. The view is upheld by the Navy, which would prefer for many uses land-based aircraft, and is prepared to cut down production of flying boats to the extent that it can obtain such land-based types. Criticism is also levelled at the Navy's predilection for unusually high strength factors, even at the expense of per- formance, which require flying boats to be able to alight in a choppy sea with four- to five-foot waves, involving a large number of bulkheads, cutting up space and impairing the boat's cargo space usefulness. While this consideration for an all-round employment of flying boats is appreciated, both the Committee and the Navy have agreed that special experimenta- tion with purely cargo non-combatant flying boats with less strength built into the hulls should continue. Incidentally, it is said that "the Mars is relatively worthless because of the bulkheads that have beeu built into it, and it has not yet been put to any important practical use." A rather medium course is advocated by the Report in the choppy waters of the seaplane v. landplane cargo carrier con-troversy. With the weight of landplanes exceeding 150,000 gross pounds and the corresponding weight increase of thelanding gear, the .Committee considers the seaplane of similar weight more efficient provided it is not cut up by a number ofbulkheads. Moreover, "since neither the landplane nor the seaplane could survive a forced landing at sea, it would seemunnecessary to penalise the seaplane as a'possible cargo carrier by requiring it to meet unusual stresses and strains." At the same time the Report does not assign to the seaplanea monopoly of future transocean cargo transport, and believes that the development of the flying wing presents attractivepossibilities, and experiments should be encouraged. Helicopters The importance of helicopters for anti-submarine work is acknowledged, and the advantages pointed out of hovering and spotting as against the employment of aircraft operating at high speeds. The Navy is expecting delivery of helicopters which would carry one man with parachute and life-raff and transmitting and receiving wireless. They will be capable of a range of at least 100 miles, an endurance of four hours and be properly equipped for instrument flight. In conclusion, one should mention the serious allegations made by the Committee against the Wright Aeronautical Cor- poration and vigorously denied by the company's executives, as previously reported in this journal. These accusations, which have prompted the Department of Justice to annouijte a forthcoming preliminary enquiry, and possibly a Fedora? Grand Jury investigation, are based on the Committee's find- ings that more than 25 per cent, of the engines built at the plant have failed in one or more major parts during a three-hour test run; that engines were sold to the Government which were leaking; that a substantial number of aircraft using this engine had crashes in which engine failures were involved; and .that unsafe material had been discovered in completed engines. Stating that the company was .producing and causing the Government to accept faulty material, the Committee levels the following major charges against the Wright Corporation: (1) Falsification of tests. (2) Destruction of records. (3) Im- properly recording test results. (4) Forging of inspection records. (5) Failure to segregate substantial material. (6) Failure to destroy promptly or mutiliate such material. (7) Orally changing tolerances allowed on parts. (8) Skipping of inspection operations, to which it is added that the Committee found "that in this particular case certain Air Force officials exhibited an unduly co-operative spirit towards the company in matters pertaining to inspection." Pending further and complete investigations, it would be premature to form an opinion on the implication. of 'these allegations. Whatever one's views on the Committee's criti- cisms may be, it must be acknowledged that their work is a substantial contribution to the American war effort. Ruthlessly attempting to get to the core of the problems, the Committee's unhesitating and public disclosure of weak spots and deficiencies is unimaginable in any Fascist country. The frankness of the Truman Report makes it a document eloquent of the bold spirit of American democracy. POST-WAR AIRCRAFT TYPES Captain Bartlett Prognosticates A DDRESSING the Bristol Chamber of Commerce the A\ other day, Capt. K. J. G. Bartlett, a director of the •*• -*• Bristol Aeroplane Co., Ltd., outlined briefly the five or six different types of aircraft which might be expected to suit traffic and geographical conditions in British post- war aviation. For the direct transatlantic traffic be foresaw a multi- engined landplane with - luxurious accommodation and capable of non-stop still-air flights of 5,000 miles. He thought the flying boat had psychological advantages, but the reliability of modern aircraft engines should make forced landings unlikely. The transatlantic types would hold positions in the air similar to those held by such ships as the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth on the sea. The main transatlantic types might be supplemented by a smaller type, similar to those used on the Empire routes. This would probably fly via Newfoundland and Iceland. For the Empire and main trunk lines Capt. Bartlett visualised four-engined aircraft with a range of 2,000 miles and carrying day and night accommodation for about thirty passengers. The same type of aircraft, but with day accommodation for fifty passengers, would provide a suit- able tourist-class companion to the main-line type. Both would also be suitable for the South American route and for a route to China via Russia. Cruising speed should be 200 m.p.h., nearer 250 m.p.h. if possible. For the European routes and as main feeder-line types on the trunk routes a twin-engined machine with a range of about 500 miles and carrying 20 to 30 passengers would be suitable. It would have to be very fully equipped for all-weather flying. Great Britain would need small economical io-i6-pas- senger machines. These could also serve as secondary feeder-line types on the trunk routes. The last two types dealt with by Capt. Bartlett were specialised machines. One was a mailplane, which would probably be a high-speed, high-altitude type. The other was a freighter, which would be of relatively low speed and would be designed for taking a large volume of freight rather than a large weight.
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