Evening star., 1939-05-21
u. 5. Army Contracts
F or Latest Type Of
Attack Bomber
$4,000, 900 Deal Signed,
But Number Of Ships
Is Kept q Secret
By, JOSEPH H. BAIRD.

A serious bid for American su-
premacy in the latet type of air
weapon-the combination attack
bomber-was made yesterday when
the War Department announced
award of a $l5.000.O0O contract to
the Douglas Aircraft Co., of Santa
Monica, Calf. for number OF
these radical new craft.
The War Department lately has
adopted a policy of secrecy as to
the number of planes included in
orders. From usually reliable
sources, however, it was learned
that nearly 200 ships will be built
for the $l5,0O000O.
Two other contracts for $500 900
each were awarded by the War De-
partment to the Glenn Martin Co.,
Of Baltimore and the Stearman Air
craft Co., of Wichita, Kans.. for
their types of attack bombers.
These planes will follow the designs
submitted during the competition
at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, last
March. A few improvements, result
ing from tests, will be made on the
designs offered at that time.
Lessons Learned in War.
1t is around the Douglas product,
however, that the greatest interest
in Army circles is centering. These
ships are an outgroWth of the
practical lessons learned from the
use of aircraft under actual war
conditions in Spain and China
lessons studied intensively by u.
S. Army observers in these two
theaters of war.
Until recently, bombers and at
tack planes have been sharply
divided into separate categories,
each with distinct missions. At
tack planes, although armed with
few light bombs, have relied
mainly on their armament of ma
chine guns to strafe enemy troops.
Bombers, the slowest of aircraft,
have been designed for long range
missions of destruction against am
munitlon depots, bridges and other
objectives of military Importance.
They have relied on escorts of pur-
suit planes for protection from
enemy aircraft
This new type of attack bomber,
1t is understood, is designed for a
dual role. Not only can it fulfill
the mission of an attack plane
against troops, but it also can carry
a sufficient bomb load to destroy
military objectives. While its cruis-
ing radius will be considerably short
er than that of the conventional
bomber, it has the advantage of
sufficient speed to enable it to op-
crate without escort.
Exact Speed Kept Secret.
Army officials declined to reveal
the exact speed of the new attack
bomber, but it is understood to be
somewhat in excess of 300 miles per
hour.
Assurance that the new ship is
superior to anything of its type de-
veloped by Germany or any other
European country was given the
War Department by Mai. Gen. Hen
ry H. Arnold, chief of the Air Corps.
In his report on the ship, he said:
This plane has a better perform
ance than any comparative air.
pane in production or in service
anywhere in the world today"
The new ship will be an all-metal
monoplane powered by a Wright
"Whirlwind" engine of large size, -
the War Department said. Such
engines are available in $500, 1,70O
and 1000 horsepowers, the largest
having been developed only recent
ly. 1t will be equipped with air
brakes, retractable landing gear,
radio and all the modern aids to
flying.
The SIS 100000 contract does not
include the costs of engines, arma-
ment or radio equipment, which
will be supplied by the Govern
ment.