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Aviation History
1952
1952 - 0880.PDF
*• 394 FLIGHT The P.V. Meteor ground-attack fighter is seen (left) with 24 rocket projectiles. (Right) A Vampire F.B.S discharges R.P.s on a practice run. AS already intimated, most types of fighter now in use are adaptable for ground attack, and it is these which are ^ chiefly employed for the support of ground forces. Russia continues to operate squadrons of heavily armoured II- ro two-seaters, of poor performance but designed from the outset for low-flying attacks in face of ground opposition, and the twin-engined Douglas B-26 (counterpart of the R.A.F.'s Bristol Brigand and the Russian Tu-2) has given good service in Korea. A photograph of a representative B-26 ground-attack load is reproduced here, as this shows the various weapons to good advantage; but later jet-propelled "tactical" bombers, e.g., English Electric Canberra B.2 and Martin XB-51, will be considered under the heading "Bombers," though the B-51 was designed to carry a very heavy fixed-gun armament in addition to its bomb load. It may be noted in this connection that one very senior Air Com mander in Korea is on record as asserting that "medium bombers," using new sights and bombing techniques, have well-nigh out moded fighter/bombers for attacks on many types of tactical target; his views, however, are not universally shared. The so-called "intruder" class (wherein the Mosquito was pre-eminent during the war) is being revived by the U.S.A.F. in the form of the Martin B-57A variant of the Canberra, and this, from all accounts, will be a hybrid ground-attack/light-bomber/ heavy-fighter machine, intended to create as much havoc and confusion as possible during the hours of darkness, with guns and light bombs, against air and ground targets. Note that it bears a "B" (bomber) designation, the "attack" category having been abolished by the U.S.A.F. some years ago. The principal weapons of ground-attack aircraft now in being are guns, rocket projectiles, bombs and napalm tanks. As supplied to the R.A.F., the D.H. Vampire F.B.5—officially classed as a fighter/bomber—has provision for eight 60 lb R.P.s and two 500 lb bombs; but the bomb load can be carried only by sacrificing the auxiliary fuel tanks. This disability has been overcome in the Venom, which, with its tip-tanks in place, carries an external armament load heavier than that of the Vampire. The private-venture ground-attack development of the Gloster Meteor 8 likewise has wing-tip tanks, not only because these are aerodynamically more efficient than the under-wing variety, but to ensure that the carriage of external armament stores shall not be prejudiced. Under each wing a 1,000 lb bomb is carried on a specially developed pylon-type mounting, embodied in which is the necessary lifting tackle, and two additional 1,000-pounders can be taken under the fuselage. Alternative to this bomb load a Dense smoke-trails mark the passage of bofors rockets from a Saab J-21R (above). (Below) A Republic F-84E delivers part of its rocket load. A piston-engined Hellcat of the U.S. Navy discharging a 1,200-/b Tiny Tim rocket at the Naval Ordnance Test Station, Inyokern, California.
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